Dr. Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, the Chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, has said that he is now a target for fighting crude oil theft in the country.
Ekpemupolo stated this when he played host to the national leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association on Tuesday in Delta State.
At the head of the NBA team that visited Ekpemupolo in Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State was its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN).
The Chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited alleged that recently some persons attacked some of his staff while they were arresting oil thieves on the Port Harcourt, Rivers State creeks.
Tompolo appealed to the NBA to rise to the situation and save the country from its current economic crisis.
He said that the government may not have enough funds to run her institutions, hence the need for all hands to be on deck.
He said: “The NBA has a duty to play in this present situation because if we are not careful in this country, we will not have money to do any reasonable thing.
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“We are going to do our part locally, but you are there at the top.
“If we arrest today, lawyers will appear on both sides.
“My appeal is that you need to help us.”
Tompolo said that he had stepped on many toes in the cause of the ongoing onslaught against crude oil theft, adding that he has become a target of revenge.
He said: “In the course of this surveillance, we have stepped on so many toes of people over there in Lagos and Abuja.
“After my court cases, I cannot travel anywhere.
“If I must travel, I have to go with two or three security personnel.”
The leadership of the NBA had earlier visited the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba, in his palace.
Osigwe expressed joy over the recent announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that oil production had risen to 1.8 million barrels per day.
He said that Gbaramatu Kingdom plays host to TSSNL, which has been working with the NNPCL and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
He added: “If 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.
“However, there is a need to stem the theft of our commonwealth from some individuals.
“The fight against oil theft is more desirable now more than ever before because Nigeria is borrowing so much to fund its budget.”
Osigwe said that the essence of the visit was to assess the oil-producing community, and ascertain the level of hardship faced by the residents.
He said: “First, to get first-hand knowledge of how this battle has been fought and what the challenges and approach are.
“Tantita has done a lot of good work on the issues of pipeline protection and oil theft.
“We thought that it would be a good place for us to come.”
Osigwe said that the NBA was interested in the issues of oil theft coupled with the effects of environmental pollution and degradation resulting from oil exploration.
According to him, the communities that bear the pains of the nation’s oil wealth do not enjoy the wealth compared to what others get.
Responding, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom called on the Federal Government to provide infrastructure in the oil-producing communities.
He said: “Presently, the government is far from us.
“It should come closer to us and do the needful for us to reciprocate.”
The traditional ruler specifically called for the establishment of a Magistrate Court in Gbaramatu kingdom.
He said Gbaramatu stood for peace and will continue to stand for peace in the Niger Delta region.
NAN reports that TSSNL is a private pipeline security outfit engaged by the Federal Government to protect its pipeline assets.
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