By Eseoghene Emuke
A revered Niger Delta monarch and Ovie of the Great Idjerhe Kingdom in Delta State, His Majesty, King Obukowho Monday Whiskey, UDURHIE 1, says there was need for President Bola Tinubu to expand the scope of the surveillance contract awarded to former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, owing to the successes recorded by his company, Tantita Security Services Limited in the fight against oil theft in the region.
UDURHIE 1 also commended Tompolo for the diligent execution of the contract awarded to him by the Federal Government where his security outfit has recorded several arrest of foreign vessels stealing the nation’s crude oil.
The Idjerhe monarch, whose over one thousand subjects died in the 1998 Jesse pipeline explosion, said the expansion of the contract has become necessary following the recent arrest of a massive vessel, MT Tura 11, carrying over 150 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil along the Escravos sea in Delta State
He stated this in a statement personally signed by the traditional ruler and made available to journalists on Sunday in Jesse, the traditional headquarter of Idjerhe people.
Idjerhe monarch posited that with the success story of the local security outfit, expanding the scope of its operation, the country’s dwindling economy will be heading for revival as other foriegn collaborators stealing Nigeria’s crude oil particularly along the high seas will be arrested by Tompolo’s men.
According to the monarch, “With the recent arrest of the foreign bunkering vessel by the authorities of the Tantita Security limited owned by High Government Owezide Ekpemukpolo Alias Tompolo it is now clear to everyone that the company does not only have the capacity to deliver on its mandate but that it has the patriotic zeal to save the Nation’s economic well being.
“Government must not only properly fund the Tantita to meet its financial needs to the growing staff list and huge technology that is involved in carrying out this all important security assignment but government through relevant agencies should urgently expand the scope of the job to ensure more employment opportunities and discourages locals from supporting foreign elements/Security forces who are deeply involved in this unholy vandalization of our economic resources and in process destroy the Niger Delta Environments.
“Tantita has taking the highest security risks against known and unknown cartels whose stocks in trade is pipeline vandalism and environmental pollution and it behooves on the federal government to reciprocate the company gestures by proper funding and expanding of the current job scope so that the Nigeria Economy can again be restored through the hard work of this patriotic Niger Deltan High Chief Government Owezide Ekpemukpolo.A.k.a Tompolo.
“Government and its agencies responsible for this project must leave up to its corporate social and economic responsibilities by regularly funding the project as the economic saboteurs are all waiting for its failure so that they lunch their attacks again in more disastrous manners God forbid Let those who have laboured and take the risk of protecting sensitive National Assets benefits from their labour so that others can be encouraged to follow such patriotic parts.”
