The military high command on Thursday, took a swipe at the Tantita Security Services Limited, a private security firm owned by former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo, over allegations it levelled against the Nigerian Navy regarding oil theft in the Niger Delta.
Describing the allegations against the Navy as “cheap blackmail,” the military said it would not be deterred in carrying out its constitutional duties in getting rid of the criminals hell-bent on sabotaging the economy of the country, particularly in the Niger Delta region.
During the visit of the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Tuesday, Tompolo alleged that the Navy was sabotaging its efforts in protecting Nigeria’s oil pipelines from vandals, who are oil thieves.
But Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, while reacting to the allegations while answering questions from journalists shortly after a press briefing at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, said they would not want any “back-and-forth” on the issues raised.
General Buba said since both organisations – Navy and Tantita – were working for the same purpose of getting rid of criminals in the maritime domain and increasing crude oil production, they should rather team up than try to take credit or discredit one another.
“As to the question regarding the Nigerian Navy and the Chief Executive of Tantita, you see, I’m almost laughing because it’s laughable. But what I want to say about this sort of situation is this, in this situation, we seek cooperation, not conflict. That’s what we want, that is what our people want,” he said.
Tompolo had on Tuesday told the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association headed by its President, Mazi Afam Isigwe (SAN), at Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri, that his security firm is facing deep sabotage from the Navy.
According to him, the confrontation between Tantita Security Services Limited and the Navy has complicated their operations in securing Nigeria’s oil pipelines across major areas in the Niger Delta.
Describing their confrontation as a major hindrance in protecting the pipelines, Tompolo said anytime they arrested oil thieves, the “big men” would quickly come to their aid and rescue using lawyers.
“Just a few days ago, our team intercepted a vessel in Port Harcourt, and the Navy opened fire on Tantita Security while we were accompanied by the police, DSS, and Civil Defence,” he said.
Tompolo called on the NBA president and his team to support the private firm by holding his members (lawyers) accountable and dissuading them from defending any oil thief arrested.
But in a swift reaction, the spokesman of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said they would not join issues with Tantita, insisting that all that he said was “false”, hence the reason the Navy is succeeding in the fight against oil thieves.
“My response is that whatever Tantita Security must have said is false and I have sent the Nigerian Navy operational successes out there,” he said.