The founder of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has raised concerns about persistent threats to his life stemming from his efforts to combat oil theft in Nigeria.
Speaking at Oporoza, the administrative hub of the Gbaramatu Kingdom, Tompolo pointed fingers at powerful interests outside the Niger Delta who are deeply entrenched in the illegal trade.
During a meeting with the national executive of the Nigerian Bar Association, led by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), Tompolo alleged that recent incidents highlighted the risks faced by Tantita operatives.
He detailed how naval personnel allegedly attacked his team while they were apprehending suspected oil thieves along the creeks near Port Harcourt.
This confrontation underscores the complexity of addressing oil theft in the country, especially when security agencies seem at odds with each other.
Tompolo noted that his surveillance work has rattled powerful individuals, turning him into a target of vengeance.
“While doing this work, we have stepped on a lot of toes of people over there in Lagos and Abuja. We have stepped on a lot of toes,” he stated. Explaining the personal impact, he added, “As I am here, after my court cases, I cannot travel anywhere because of me and the key people (barons) fighting this battle.”
He lamented the lack of synergy between security outfits, particularly the Navy and Tantita Security, whose operatives frequently encounter resistance during arrests.
Recalling a recent incident, Tompolo said, “Some few days back, our people intercepted a vessel in Port Harcourt, where the Nigerian Navy was shooting at Tantita Security, with police, Department of State Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”
Highlighting the financial toll of oil theft on the nation, Tompolo called on the NBA to use its influence to promote accountability and support his security outfit’s efforts.
He remarked, “If we make arrest today, lawyers would stand on the other side and this side.” Addressing the larger context, he said, “If we are not careful in this country, maybe we will not have money to do any reasonable thing.”
Tompolo also emphasized that the masterminds of oil theft are rarely local.
“Can somebody come to load a vessel of 500 metric tonnes in this community? Nobody has that capacity; the person comes from Lagos, Abuja, or neighbouring countries. The man here would be a water boy for the people in charge. That is the one we would arrest,” he explained.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, for a response proved futile.
A staff member from the Naval Public Relations Office redirected inquiries, stating she had been transferred and confirming that Commodore Adams-Aliu was best positioned to address the issue.
During the NBA delegation’s courtesy visit to the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Osigwe expressed optimism over recent announcements by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited regarding increased oil production.
He linked curbing oil theft to potential national economic recovery. “If the oil production keeps going up, it will benefit all of us, and the government will be able to provide for the needs of the people,” he stated, urging concerted efforts to stem theft and boost oil revenue.
The NBA delegation also acknowledged the severe impact of oil exploration on Niger Delta communities, including environmental degradation.
Osigwe noted, “The irony is that these communities that bear the responsibilities of the nation’s oil wealth do not enjoy the wealth as most of the cities in the country.”
The Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, seized the opportunity to advocate for infrastructural development and closer government presence in the region.
“We produce the oil, from our territory we feed the coffers of this country. So they should draw closer to us and do the needful for us to also reciprocate,” he urged.
He also called for the establishment of a magistrate’s court within the kingdom and appealed for mentoring opportunities for members of the Gbaramatu Lawyers Association.
Dispelling fears about visiting the region, he reassured the NBA team, “We are a peaceful people. We are working for the peace of the Niger Delta, extending hands of fellowship to other kingdoms.”
The Pere concluded with an appeal for practical reforms in judicial processes, suggesting that judges should sometimes visit disputed lands before delivering final judgments, particularly in land-related cases.
