Niger Delta Elite Faults Urhobo Group’s Call for Termination of Tantita Pipeline Contract

By Monday Peters, Abuja

Concerned Niger Delta Elite has faulted the Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, attacking High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, chairman Tantita Security Services Limited, citing that the call for termination of Tantita pipeline Surveillance contract was borne out of envy and act of betrayal.

This was contained in a statement signed by Chief Larry .O. Adanike, adding that the Urhobos were in Delta State when late Capt. Hosa from Benin / Edo State was in charge of this Contract over Urhobo areas consecutively for about 8 years.

He further noted that there was still massive Pipelines Vandalization and massive Stealing of Crude Oil, accompanied with despoilation of the Environment of host communities under captain Hosa security watch on Pipeline in the Niger Delta region, yet the Urhobos were docile.

Adanike emphasised, “Our Daily Oil production fell very low to 650,000 barrels per day.
And some Oil Companies could not pump Crude from their Flow stations through Pipelines to Export Terminals for Oil export because over 85% of the Product will be Stolen through hundreds of Breaches along the Pipelines Stretch…

“There was no protest from Urhobos, even though they had organized Platforms like today.

“Even now after the death of Capt Hosa, his inlaw who helped ran the Contract for his father in-law, the current Olu of Warri still holds acreages far more than that of Tantita Security Services, which covers Ijaw areas of Bayelsa and Rivers, and maybe Imo/ Akwa Ibom.

“Today people are sponsoring Itsekiris to protest against the Ijaw man’s Company, asking for the withdrawal of Tantita Security Job which Tantita is executing very very competently – such that we no longer have Pipeline Vandalization and Oil theft , and our Oil Production has improved tremendously up to at least 1.8m Million Barrels per day.
Or they are seeking to deny Tantita access to Itsekiri communities.
Now the Urhobo are saying the same thing.
Greed and Envy lots of time seem to forget Reason…

“This will not help the cause of unity amongst the tribes in Delta State.
When the Security Surveillance Jobs were awarded by NAPPIMS through settlors like SPDC decades ago,, it was Frontline Urhobo Contractors like Chief Ubiebi from Ughelli axis that handled all major Security and Maintenance contracts for decades in Ijaw areas of Forcados (Ogulagha) and Escravos (Gbaramatu), Tunu, Beniseide (Ojobo) Egbema-Angalabiri (Bayelsa) Etc..
Some other Urhobo and Isoko Contractors who held sway then in major engineering and EPIC Construction contracts were:
Eruben Ltd.
SJ Jones.
SAMOT Ltd
Temile & Sons (Itsekiri)

“Till today NAPPIMS major maintenance and EPIC Contracts are being executed in Ijaw Areas by well known Urhobo and Isoko Contractors:
Macharry Ltd.
De-Wayles…
Chief Bernard Edewor
Etc.
Pushing Ijaw contractors like High Chief Tunde Smooth out of his well known Marine Equipment Business.

“But No Ijaw Communities, either collectively or individually have protested against , Undermined or frustrated these Urhobo or Isoko Contractors or seeking to expel them from Ijaw Land.

“Similarly, no Ijaw Communities are protesting and fighting the Olu of Warri’s Company – Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited – from executing it’s surveillance and Security Contract – exactly like Tantita’s – from doing his work in Ijaw Areas.
Rather the Ijaw Communities are assisting and cooperating with the Olu’s PINL to successfully execute its work.

“It is flowing from the Above, that I appeal to our Urhobo and Itsekiri brothers to be circumspect and think twice about this fight against Tantita.
Because no one knows the aftermath.
Your brothers and chiefs have been operating Contracts and eating in Ijaw Areas for decades, (10, 15, 20, 35 years AND EVEN TODAY.
Ijaws did not deprive them…
But the only one that Fate gave to an Ijaw man , you say he should not work in your Areas?
How fair is that?

“The Chairman of Tantita is an Ijaw Leader from both Gbaramatu and Ogulagha Kingdoms, key Oil Producing Kingdoms with massive assets helping the Economy of Delta State and Nigeria.

“So Ijaws should tell Macharry Ltd And De-Wayles owned by Urhobos, to pull out of Ijaw Areas where they work Today too since you don’t want Tantita owned by Ijaw in your areas?

“We have managed our unity and togetherness better than this.
Who knows if after years , an Urhobo man will be given this work that Tantita Services is doing today?
Will Ijaws now say that such Contractor(s) should not work in Ijaw areas too?
This is a dangerous trend that the Urhobos are starting.
It is better they have a rethink, before it will force Ijaws to react with tit-for-tat.”