A Kaduna based group, the  Arewa Intelligentia Caucus has commended Chief (Dr.) Government Ekpemupolo, (alias Tompolo) for stabilizing crude oil production, raising it from 600,000 barrels per day to near 1.7 million barrels, describing the development as  patriotism at work and a standing up for the fatherland with a call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to confer a National Honour on him in acknowledgement of his roles in nation building and development.

In a Statement jointly signed by its President Abubakar Ciroma and Publicity Secretary, Nasir Adamu and made available to newsmen entitled “WHO IS AFRAID OF TOMPOLO IN THE NIGER DELTA AND WANTS HIM  EASED OUT?”, the Arewa Intelligentia Caucus, a broad-based intellectual forum of the three Northern geo-political zones of Nigeria, and signed by Abubakar Ciroma (President) and Nasir Adamu ( Publicity Secretary), said that  frustrated crude oil barons in the Niger Delta, whose illegal crude oil bunkering activities were crippled and flushed out by Tantita Security Services Limited are out to give Tompolo a bad name.

According to the group, those who are afraid of Tompolo  are those who lost bids to secure pipelines surveillance and protection contracts, adding that they were denied contracts because security reports found them unworthy.

The group also said that the oil thieves  are envious of Tompolo for being in a symbiotic and warm relationship with the federal government, to take  the nation’s  economy out of the woods.

They noted that on  the heels of the March 14, 2024, murder of officers and soldiers of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Nigerian Army Bomadi, in Delta State, Retired Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, former Communication Minister, like a dinosaur emerged out of oblivion to take a swipe at private security companies, hired by the Federal Government to provide surveillance  over the nation’s oil assets.

The group added that in  a follow up, three days, or there about, a faceless group also came out to make a frontal attack at Tompolo and his security  surveillance outfit, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).

“Its grouse was that Tompolo and the murdered Nigerian Army officers and soldiers were involved in oil theft.Accusations Nigerians see as a lie and unsubstantiated.

The syndicate of crude thieves have hired all and sundry to malign and disparage Tantita and other private security companies involved in pipelines surveillance. All their effort seems like water poured on the back of a dock”, they wrote.

They pointed out that desperate oil thieves  at home and their  international backers of oil barons are those behind efforts to drag Tompolo and Tantita in the mud and described Tompolo as a man of conscience and integrity, saying vilifying campaigns won’t change public perception of him.

Below Is The Full Statement From The Arewa Intelligentia Caucus :

AREWA INTELLIGENTIA CAUCUS

WHO IS AFRAID OF TOMPOLO IN THE NIGER DELTA AND WANTS HIM  EASED OUT?

On the heels of the March 14, 2024, murder of officers and soldiers of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Nigerian Army Bomadi, in Delta State, Retired Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, former Communication Minister, like a dinosaur emerged out of oblivion to take a swipe at private security companies, hired by the Federal Government to provide surveillance over the nation’s oil assets.

In a follow up, three days, or there about, a faceless group also came out to make a frontal attack at Tompolo and his security  surveillance outfit, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).

 Its grouse was that Tompolo and the murdered Nigerian Army officers and soldiers were involved in oil theft.

 Accusations Nigerians see as a lie and unsubstantiated.

The questions that arise from the tirades prompt one ask: who is afraid of Tompolo and Tantita and wants their integrity tarnished to get them out of the way?

1. They are the frustrated crude oil barons in the Niger Delta, whose illegal crude oil bunkering activities were crippled and flushed out by Tantita Security Services Limited.

2. They are those who lost bids to secure pipelines surveillance and protection contracts.

 They were denied contracts because security reports  found them unworthy.

3. They are those who failed in their desperate effort to break and decentralize the existing pipelines surveillance contracts of the Federal Government.

4. They are the same collectives of disenchanted national economic saboteurs, who lost sleep and peace of mind, because their ill intentions were checkmated by operatives of Tompolo’s Tantita.

5. They think Tompolo once again out smarted them when they failed to plant through the back door, a surrogate in the Presidential Amnesty Programme, as administrator.

These people are known to the Federal Government as men having dubious objectives and intentions.

 They have never been found worthy of trust. Their criminal activities are well known to the authorities.

 They are envious of Tompolo for being in a symbiotic and warm relationship with the federal government, to take  the nation’s  economy out of the woods.

They regularly drag him with petty blackmails out of frustration.

 Will engaging in names – calling help their situation?

 Only genuine repentance from criminality would.

 Those who go to equity must appear with clean hands.

The government is not oblivious of their notoriety.

 Tompolo is a man of conscience and integrity, vilifying campaigns won’t change public perception of him.

For us outside the Niger Delta, we deeply appreciate Chief (Dr.) Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, for stabilizing crude oil production, raising it from 600,000 barrels per day to near 1.7 million barrels. This is patriotism at work and a standing up for the fatherland.

The recent collaboration between the Armed Forces and Tantita galvanized the economy, else it would have been in complete shambles. Those Tantita chased out of Niger Delta for crude theft and economic sabotage are fighting back, using decoys like General Olanrewaju retired and others.

Tantita’s operations have caused collateral damage to the facilities of the oil syndicates. Equipment worth millions of dollars, used in stealing and siphoning crude were impounded by Tantita.

The thieves have done all they could to manipulate the situation, including running to court and coercing Tompolo. But the situation remains unchanged and dicey for them.

 The determination to properly apply the law in the prosecution of the crews of the impounded vessels, MT Kali and MT HARBOR SPIRIT had taken the wind off the sails of the oil syndicates.

They have deployed every tactic in the book to fight the system, but their tricks are not working. The court order, which sanctioned the confiscation of the bunkering vessels, their contents and detention of crews is still in place.

 No cutting corners this time, the battle to free crude production completely from criminal interference rages.

We are therefore elated that the baron owners of the ships are being held and prosecuted.

This is the first time that the law is being fully applied.

 Thanks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for not listening to fifth columns.

Tantita’s operation has received accolades from the Presidency, the Service Chiefs, National Assembly (NASS) and a consortium of national newspapers, including the powerful Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Even the Navy, that initially posed resistance to Tantita backed down, when confronted with the firm’s resolute determination to put an end to the economic sabotage.

A prophet is usually not honoured at home. Desperate oil thieves  at home and their  international backers of oil barons are those behind efforts to drag Tompolo and Tantita in the mud.

 They have joined hands with those who either  failed in the bid for  the pipeline surveillance contracts or failed to  in their wicked desire to force the Federal Government to decentralise the ongoing contracts.

It is ridiculous to associate Tompolo with the despicable killing of soldiers at Okuama. Is Tompolo from that area? Is Okuama an integral part of Tompolo’s enclave in Gbaramatu kingdom, where he holds the ace?

Does Tompolo’s overlordship spread to Urhobo community of Okuama, in Ughelli South Council Area of Delta State, the hotbed of the bloodbath ?

 Those smearing him want to create doubts on his character.

 They failed in previous attempts. They will also fail in this.

The Nigerian Army came public to tell the nation that they know those who murdered their personnel and the circumstances leading to the tragic end of the slain troops. Tompolo is as clean as a whistle.

 And from available intelligence, the wanted leader of the killer gang, one Endurance Okodeh, alias Amagbein, also recently killed a Tantita coordinator in the area.

Okuama does not have oil and gas facilities. So, where was Tompolo taking the soldiers to for bunkering in the area when they ran into ambush as expressed in the publication?

Before Tantita recent alliance with the Nigerian Navy, there were some misconceptions between both parties. The Navy would have exposed Tompolo if he was involved in illegal bunkering, this would have afforded the Navy the much-needed opportunity to strike and  nail the ex-Niger Delta militant leader. At the end of the face-off, the Navy and its authorities were forced to eat the humble pies.

Fabricating stories of Tompolo’s theft of oil is therefore not credible.

Tompolo should not be distracted. His people and their external cohorts  are the one after him for selfish reasons. He should be left alone.

 Must Tompolo be dragged into everything just to pull him down?

 Those of us outside the Niger Delta, especially all right thinking Nigerians are happy with the role Tompolo is playing in the national interest.

The syndicate of crude thieves have hired all and sundry to malign and disparage Tantita and other private security companies involved in pipelines surveillance. All their effort seems like water poured on the back of a dock.

Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju being one of such individuals. He placed the cart before the horse to his utter embarrassment.

The assault on Tompolo and Tantita appears not to bear fruits, because like an octopus, the Federal Government has many tentacles everywhere.

 It keeps an eye on Tompolo. The government knows the allegations are not true. The promoters of the smear campaign shall fall flat on their faces and destroy themselves in the process.

We in the AREWA INTELLIGENTIA CAUCUS, a broad-based intellectual forum of the three Northern geo-political zones of Nigeria, therefore seizes this opportunity to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to confer a national honour on Chief (Dr.) Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, in acknowledgement of his roles in nation building and development.