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Ben Dunno, Warri
Twenty-Six (26) members of the House of Representatives, spread across seven (7) Oil and Gas Committees, have commended Operatives of Tanita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), for the remarkable achievements so far made in protecting the nation’s critical assets and making it possible to attain the required barrels of oil production per day as captured in year’s budget.
Members of the Committee which comprises; Host Communities, Niger-Delta, Gas Resources, Environment, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Special Committee on Crude Oil Theft and Petroleum Trust Committee, were on a fact-finding mission to Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South-West Council area of Delta, last Friday, to inspect the impound vessels.
Speaking with newsmen after a closed door meeting with the management team of Tantita Security outfit led by its Chairman and Chief Operating Officer (CEO) High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, Aka Tompolo, the leader of the delegation, Rt. Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Chairman Upstream and Oil Theft, expressed appreciation on behalf of his team to Tantita operatives for a job well done.
According to him, “presently we are considering creating a legal framework that will empower the private security institutions in protecting national oil assets, like Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL)”.
“The essence of this is to allow them to operate not only on the shallow waters but also in the deep waters and high seas, to ensure that they can protect and fight seriously against oil theft and incidences of vandalization that have continued to adversely affect the national economy”.
“We have seen the very good work done by Tantita. We have also seen the very good work been done by our security agencies, the Army, Navy, the Police and the NSCDC. We have seen how they are all working in synergy and doing their best”
“On our own part (NASS), we will continue to now create a better and enduring environment to see to the protection of oil assets”.
“The economy is run basically on oil and we must do all that is needed to protect the oil assets to be able to catch up with the demands and projections, according to OPEC, which is also very important to meets the needs of Nigerians by generating required revenue to develop the country”.
“We are determined to support all measures that would lead to increased production of oil and gas in Nigeria as oil and gas has continued to remain the live wire of the country”.
“A situation where we are having upsurge in the crude oil theft is not tolerated. And by what we have seen today, we have seen a complete sense of determination, a complete sense of commitment by the Nigerian security agencies alongside the private support particularly the private security surveillance firm, Tantita”.
“Tantita is one big company that has been doing well for the nation. We have seen how much Tantita, under the watch of its Chief Executive, High Chief Tompolo, has done in contributing to the nation’s increased oil output by safeguarding the national assets in the creeks thus making our live wire much more secured”.
“It is in this regard, therefore, that the Committee will like to say a very big thank you to Tantita on behalf of the people of Nigeria and the House of Representatives in particular”
“And we will continue to do the best we can in terms of partnership, in terms of collaboration, with the nation’s security agencies including the private security organisations to see how we can partner with them and see how we can promote the protection of our oil assets in all the oil producing States.
“This will involve not only creating the enabling environment, but also due surveillance and convention as well as intelligence architecture around oil assets”.
Speaking earlier while briefing the visiting National Assembly delegation, the Commander, 63 Brigade and Sector Joint Task Force Commander, South South Operation Delta Safe, Brigadier General Ugochukwu Vitus Unachukwu affirmed the synergy between the military and private security operatives in the region.
According to him, “the collaboration between Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and the armed forces of Nigeria to stamp out this crime is total and absolute”. “We will pursue it to the logical conclusion”, he added.
The military Commander disclosed that the illegal oil bunkering ships arrested recently by Tantita will soon be destroyed to serve as deterrent to others who might want to sabotage the national economy.
He said, “In line with the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) of Operation Delta Safe, the vessels will be destroyed here. When all the necessary evidences have been taken and the authority gives the go ahead, the vessels will be destroyed.
“The essence of the destruction is for the perpetrators to lose totally everything they have invested in the heinous crime.
“Whoever is still thinking of perpetrating this heinous crime against our nation should think twice”.
The lawmakers who took time to assess the two vessels – MT KALI and MT HARBOR SPIRIT – arrested recently by Tantita operatives, where they were anchored around Oporoza jetty, in Warri Southwest.
