…… Commends Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited For Reducing Oil Theft
The Integrity Youth Alliance has condemned in strong terms an amorphous group with the name, the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta (SEFFND), for alleging a a non existent secret deal between the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mal. Mele Kyari, and former MEND leader High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.
The IYA said that it was mischievous for the purported militant group to make odious insinuations involving the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Limited.
In a press release on Saturday, October 14, 2023, signed by the Board Chairman of the Integrity Youth Alliance, Comrade Adewole Kehinde, the group said that NNPC Limited, under Mele Kyari, is deeply committed to adhering to the highest standards of transparency and global best practices in all its activities, and this includes its contracting process.
Adewole stressed that contract award are based on capacity to deliver and track record and not blackmail through the use of high sounding empty organization conveying the impression of threat peace and national security and stability.
“Pipeline surveillance contracts will be advertised as and due, and all bidders will go through rigorous evaluation criteria in line with the oil and gas industry norms.
“Kyari is well known for accountability and transparency, so NNPC Limited will subject the pipeline surveillance contracts to a competitive tender guided by Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) standards, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission expertise, and the active involvement of a transaction advisor as well as the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the Ministry of Justice in the project development team and the evaluation exercise,” Adewole said.
He said further, “We can say boldly without fear of contradiction that Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited has brought a drastic reduction in crude oil theft in the country, created youth employment, and ended the activities of the illegal crude oil refiners in the entire Niger Delta region.
“Presently, all the crude oil pipelines in Delta, Bayelsa, and some parts of Rivers states, which were usually invaded at will by crude oil thieves, are now adequately secured, due to the exceptional diligence and well coordinated efforts of Tantita to the fight against the theft of the nation’s resources.
Adewole noted that a serious organization with capacity to curb the sensitive issue of oil theft and pipeline vandalism will not opt for the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta.
He called on the Department of State Services to note and deal with the threat contained in the so called SFFND statement describing it as a threat to national security.
He stressed the threat, ‘But this time around, we will not sit down, fold our hands and allow such to happen under our nose, we will join hands together with other agitating militant groups and notable ex-militant leaders as well with ethnic nationalities stakeholders to do everything humanly possible to disappoint the GMD NNPC Mele Kyari, Sen Heineken Lokpobri Minister of petroleum state including those corrupt villa cabals that have been bought over with millions of Dollars, behind these alleged deal will all be disappointed by any means necessary’ should be decisively tackled before it is too late.
Adewole said that the call on security agencies to place the leadership of the SEFFND on security watch was to avoid vandalization of the Pipelines across the country.