Tantita: Youth accuses Arogbo ex-militant leader of sponsoring media propaganda against Tompolo

•Says alleged Arogbo Ijaw Ibe Youth Council is fake

The Progressive Youth of Arogbo Kingdom has faulted a purported press release issued by what it described as a faceless youth body, parading as Arogbo Ijaw Ibe Youth Council (AIIYC), speaking ill on the operation of Tantita Security Service Nigeria Limited in Ondo State.

The Arogbo Progressives youth said the purported Arogbo Ijaw Ibe Youth Council (AIIYC) is being sponsored by a militant leader in Arogbo Kingdom, adding that the publication is a figment of his imagination.

This is according to a statement signed and issued by Mr Towei Peretei, President and Ezekiel Ugowonni General Secretary of the Arogbo Progressive Youth Council.

The statement reads, The attention of the Progressive Youth of Arogbo Kingdom has been drawn to a purported statement/press release issued by a faceless youth body, Arogbo Ijaw Ibe Youth Council(AIIYC), claiming to be the only surviving youth body in our Kingdom. The sponsored and inexistent youth body of the kingdom also went ahead in her press release to discredit the existence/operation of the Tantita Security Services in Ondo State by framing it as illegal. This is a blackmail and mischievous. It is being sponsored by a suspected ex-militant in Arogbo Kingdom. We consider this, a joke taken too far and have thus decided to take them down the historical trajectory.

“In August 2022, High Chief Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo signed a contract with the Federal Government of Nigeria to halt oil theft in the Niger Delta area of the country with his security outfit Tantita registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). For the records, Tantita Security Service has recruited over seventeen thousand (17,000) able-bodied Niger Delta sons and daughters across all the Ijaw-speaking communities.

“According to a reliable source, a significant amount of money was released to enlist a very significant number of people in Arogbo into the Tantita Security outfit in 2022. My question is, who was recruited into Tantita? Arogbo kingdom should wake up from their sleep and face reality. We cannot be blackmailed as usual.

“Government Ekpemupolo in his good intention made Senior High Chief Idowu Asonja, the Commandant of Tantita Security Service in Ondo State from August 2022 till date. SHC Idowu Asonja was magnanimous enough to incorporate Arogbo Kingdom’s sons and daughters into Tantita and made Kekemeke Daniel the coordinator of Ese-Odo in Ondo State.

“It is instructive to state here that the recent Tantita operation in the Amapere community was a call to service and the security outfit only performed the duties assigned to them by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We, therefore urge the Amapere community to see things in that light and give peace a chance among denizens. The dwellers of the Amapere community should do everything humanly possible to deter sons and daughters of Amapere from confronting the Nigerian government. We pray your community will not be used for selfish gains in Jesus’ name.

“It is heartbreaking to see a faceless youth organization in Arogbo Kingdom calling on the attention of Nigeria security agencies on the commandant of Tantita Security Service in Ondo State. Your call on the Nigerian security operatives is baseless and will end in futility. We humbly request the Nigerian security agencies to disregard whatever claims made by the Arogbo Ijaw Ibe Youth Council (AIIYC). This body has no structure or support from the teaming youths of Arogbo Kingdom. The good people of Arogbo Kingdom will not resist/oppose Tantita Operations but rather sing praises of the leadership of Tantita Security Services for a job well done.

“Nobody has the monopoly of power to control the affairs of Arogbo Kingdom. It is our constitutional right to associate. Arogbo Kingdom youths are friends of Tantita Security and also encourage the youths to halt any form of violence against Tantita.

“Relating Tantita Security Services operations in the Arogbo Kingdom to the Ilaje and Ijaw communal crisis 1998-1999 is like instigating another war. High Chief. Government Ekpemupolo, a lover of peace and harmony cannot instigate a communal crisis between the Arogbo Ijaws and their Ilaje brothers.

We call on the Federal Government and the government of Ondo State to disregard any further press statement from these faceless instigators who parade themselves as Arogbo Ijaw Ibe Youth Council (AIIYC)

“In conclusion, Arogbo Ijaw Ibe Youth Council should stop parading themselves as the youth representatives of Arogbo Kingdom. We only have one formidable youth organization which is the Ijaw Youth Council(IYC). This body has served as the apex body of the Arogbo Kingdom and Ijoh nation at large”.