Oil Theft: Seriake Dickson applauds Tantita’s efforts in curbing menace
From Ben Dunno, Warri
Former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson has commended the efforts High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo and his team at the Tantita Security outfit in the ongoing war against illegal bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.
He noted that the resilience of the security outfit had not only helped boost the nation’s oil revenue but also contributed immensely to reducing environmental degradation caused in various host communities across the region as a result of the activities of criminals involved in crude oil theft.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatilu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government area of Delta state, on Friday, the Bayelsa ex-governor however admitted that a lot still needed to be done by the federal government in tackling the menace in the region.
Dickson who is presently the Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, commended the traditional ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, His Majesty Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba, for his leadership role in the sustenance of peace and unity especially among the Ijaw nation and the entire Niger Delta region.”
While describing Gbaramatu Kingdom as a very strategic part of the Ijaw nation as well as the Niger Delta and Nigeria, he thanked the people of the kingdom for the support and respect they have accorded their traditional institution, noting that this was part of the reason the community had continued to enjoy the goodwill and development witnessed today.
Senator Dickson also acknowledged President Bola Tinubu and the NNPCL management for the confidence reposed in Tantita Security Services and called for the sustenance of the partnership for improved services.
According to him; “I thank the President, the Petroleum Ministry and the NNPCL and all of them for working with him (Tompolo). The good thing that the Federal Government the NNPCL and all the agencies have done is by engaging a man who understands the physical terrain and also the operating environment of this terrain.
“All the systems he knows them. And that’s why he and his people have been able to bring some semblance of normalcy.
“I think that that partnership needs to be strengthened and sustained and expanded so that Tantita can do more.
“Stopping pilfering and crude oil vandalism is one thing. But we are also bothered about the environmental degradation of our region. This is our area. This is where we live.
“And for the Ijaw man, these rivers you see are our life because our lives depend on our waters. Hence, polluting our waterways, our rivers and our creeks is a major existential threat to our people.
“And so, we thank Tompolo and his colleagues in Tantita and encourage the security agencies to collaborate more with them and NNPCL to strengthen that partnership and extend it so that they can do more for our people,” Dickson stated.
Responding, the traditional ruler of the Gbaramatu kingdom, His Majesty Oboro-Gbaraun Ii, Aketekpe, Agadagba expressed gratitude to the former Governor of Bayelsa State for the visit and urged him to be closer to the Kingdom, being an Ijaw leader himself.
In attendance at the gathering were some Ijaw traditional rulers drawn from different communities in the Delta and Bayelsa, as well as dignitaries on the entourage of visiting Senator Dickson all the way from Bayelsa State.
