Oil theft: We'll drag you to court if you fail to investigate Tompolo's allegation against Navy, Group threatens FG

A group, Citizen's Rights Concern Enhancement Initiative A k.a, Human Rights Protection Congress have threatened to drag the Federal Government of Nigeria to Court if it fails to investigate the alleged shooting of operatives of TANTITA Security Services Nigeria Limited, some Policemen and Officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps as alleged by Ex-Freedom fighter, High Chief Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo. The group said the Federal Government should not sweep the matter under the carpet. "We will seek redress for Tompolo, TANTITA operatives, Policemen, NSCDC and DSS Officials in Court first by taking over the streets and waterways in peaceful protests before entering the Courts. Enough is enough of the oppressions, harassments intimidation of TANTITA operatives by Navy. Enough of their lives against the private security firm that's protecting the nation's oil facilities as well as increasing the revenue base of the country. Federal Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you must investigate this allegations levelled against the Navy by Tompolo beginning from the head."

Public Relations Officer of the group, Comrade Harrison Itulua handed down the legal threat in a statement sent to Our Correspondent in Warri. 

According to the group: "We have instructed our lawyers on what to do already but we are only watching to see your actions on this matter."

Comrade Itulua said for the Naval personnel to shoot at their sister security agents is a mis-normal, a threat to the lives of TANTITA Operatives, the Policemen and DSS Officials who were involved in an assignment to arrest crude oil thieves. 

According to him,  the alleged act by the Naval personnel is an indication that they aid and abet crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

He stressed that: "The  Naval personnel should know that the TANTITA Operatives, the Policemen, NSCDC and DSS Officials are Nigerians and are their brothers who have families they cater for. Shooting at them is evil and it shows they(Navy) encourage oil thieves to steal the nation's wealth."

Comrade Itulua said ordinarily, the Navy is supposed to be working in synergy with TANTITA operatives and sister security agencies instead of the unwarranted acts and sporadic shootings at them everytime. 

It would be recalled that Tompolo who played host to the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association,NBA in his Country home, Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area in Delta State alleged that the Nigerian Navy is sabotaging his organization's efforts in the fight against oil theft in the Niger Delta region. 

It is also on record that the Management Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL disclosed that crude oil production hit 1.8 millions barrels per day (1.8m bpd) while gas production has also risen to 7.4 billion standard cubic feet per day (7.4bscfd).

Stakeholders have hailed NNPCL and TANTITA Security Services Nigeria Limited hired to safeguard the nation's economic assets, especially Tantita, for achieving the feat.

Tantita has lately led a relentless war against crude oil theft and pipelines' vandalism, pursing oil thieves out of the nation's coastal environment as well as seizing and confiscating their equipment of illicit trade.

It was gathered that most of the oil thieves abandoned the nefarious business in the wake of the onslaught and ceaseless heat by the operatives of TANTITA Security Services positioned in the coastal axis of the Niger Delta.

These collaborative efforts with other state actors significantly contributed to the latest rise in the quantum of production of crude  and gas resources.