Ijaw Leader Kicks against Plot to Jettison Tantita’s Contract to Secure Oil Facilities

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Grand Patron of Ijaw Youth Congress and ex-House of Representatives aspirant, Prince Collins Eselemo, has kicked against a sinister plot by some security experts of Itsekiri origin to blackmail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led federal government into jettisoning the existing contract with Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited to provide round-the-clock security for oil infrastructure in the maritime environment. 

He also warned those behind the sinister move to delink the security of pipelines from the controversies surrounding the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ward delineation of Warri Federal Constituencies, as well as claims and counterclaims to the ownership of some ancestral lands.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, Prince Eselemo reminded those scheming to truncate Tompolo’s contract with the federal government to understand that Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited has provided employment to hundreds of youths of the Niger Delta, irrespective of tribe or cultural affinity, stating that its employment policy is an example of employment in diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

He also noted that the Land Use Act empowers governors to issue certificates of occupancy to landowners within their jurisdiction.

He said: “I will leave the federal government and members of the security community with this strong warning that some elements in the Niger Delta area want to import something alien and present it as a security threat to blackmail the President of this country because of his marital link to the Itsekiris, in order to jettison the well-intentioned appointment by the federal government of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, which has increased oil production to better the lives of Nigerians through people oriented projects executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led federal government.

“So, the federal government should not listen to them; it is a cheap blackmail for so-called security experts to come on board and give a fictitious report. The members of the security community are domiciled in the Niger Delta. Therefore, the ball is in the government’s court. The Director of DSS is in Delta State, and the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force and all other members of the security forces are there. They can bring their reports and not rely on reports from makeshift security experts to jettison the well-intentioned project being handled by Tompolo.

“What is at stake is that the Nigerian government has put in place a security network via Tantita, and it is producing results, which have nothing to do with the ward delineation of constituencies, Itsekiri, or the Niger Delta region. It has everything to do with Nigeria. So, we take serious exception to that, and the President should ignore that cheap blackmail by the Itsekiris.” 

He stressed that Tompolo is doing his job in accordance with the terms of the contract and has not faulted in any way and has been performing very well.

“Therefore, let the Itsekiris not bring politics into it through their alleged court judgment on ward delineation that is still pending. The ward delineation should be separated from the Tompolo-Tantita job,” he reiterated.

Noting that the Supreme Court verdict on the ward delineation of Warri Federal Constituencies is sacrosanct and INEC must obey it, the Ijaw leader said the executive and legislative arms of government cannot stop the execution of the judgment.