Sir: Something very dangerous is brewing in the Niger Delta, for which the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is urgently required.
From recent actions, Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo now believes that he has a mandate to replace Nigeria’s legitimate security institution and architecture. And he is doing so in a manner that does not augur well for ease of doing business in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The recent incident involving a vessel, MT PRAISEL, clearly demonstrates this.
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This vessel was commissioned to lift High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty, Koko, to offshore Lagos. They had all the necessary authorization: Naval approval and the regulator’s permit (i.e. the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority – NMDPRA) to load 1.1 million litres of HPFO from the Jetty.
The permit was valid for the period of July 26 to August 8. In line with standard operating procedure, they were escorted by personnel of the Nigerian Navy.
Barely five hours later, at 12.18pm, they were ‘intercepted’ by Tantita Security Service Limited (TSSL), Tompolo’s company engaged by the federal government for maritime security.
The Captain has narrated how the vessel was forcefully boarded, and how crudely the Tantita personnel behaved.
The Captain also alleged that he was physically assaulted by the Tantita Limited personnel, and his movement chart and log-book seized. Tantita Limited equally falsely alleged that the vessel carries a Togolese flag, but the vessel Captain has since debunked this in a viral video where he showed the documentation.
On August 3 and 4, 2023, product samples were collected from MT PRAISEL and subject to laboratory analysis, with all relevant agencies involved in this process, for transparency. On August 5, the results of the analysis proved beyond doubt that the product on board MT PRAISEL is HPFO and not crude oil.
One important question that needs to be asked and answered is this: How can Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services Limited arrogate to itself the powers to evaluate vessel contents without having any capacity to conclusively ascertain these contents to know what exactly is being transported?
In the absence of this capability, sadly, Tantita Limited resorts to the crudest and most highhanded option available – it falsely tags everything as stolen crude oil and then rushes to the press to say it has arrested crude oil thieves, in a desperate bid to prove that it is working.
Yes, there are unscrupulous elements who work without authorization and who are into the business of oil theft, but whoever is asked to police the waterways must have proper means of investigations, instead of acting like a bully and thinking that every vessel is guilty until proven innocent.
Another very important question to ask: Does Tantita’s remit extend to boarding ships and harassing their crew? A closer look at the security contract with NNPC Limited makes it clear that the company’s mandate is, in the words of the CEO of NNPCL, “end-to-end pipeline surveillance.” So, how can a company contracted to “man the right of way to oil and gas pipelines” now turn around and become an illegal occupying force doing unauthorized vessel ‘clearance’ and inspections that it is in no way qualified for?
There is nowhere else in the world where this kind of practice is obtainable or acceptable. It is now time for the president, all relevant regulators and authorities, and all well-meaning Nigerians, to call Tompolo and Tantita Security Services Limited, and all their personnel and collaborators to order. They should be reminded that they are not and will never be the Nigerian military, and that their mandate does not extend to usurping the powers of law enforcement agencies.
The fact that Tompolo and his company have a monitoring contract to assist the Nigerian government in securing oil infrastructure does not give them the right to harass and intimidate legitimate businesses and cause added disruptions to operations in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
•Omowale Ojewande, Lagos.