Irked by the incessant protests by those he described as mischief makers against leaders in the Niger Delta region, the Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, has said that no amount of blackmail and calculated conspiracies can diminish the remarkable achievements of High Chief Government Ekpemukpolo, a.k.a Tompolo, Chairman and CEO of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
The firm, which is managing the pipelines’ security surveillance contract in Delta, has effectively driven out oil thieves from the region’s creeks.
This statement was issued by the Mayor from his Mayoral Palace in Ughelli, Delta State, South-South Nigeria, in response to a recent protest in Abuja.
A group of youths had allegedly claimed that funds were stolen from the office of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and called for the dismissal of Dr. Dennis Otuaro, who is linked to Tompolo, as well as Engr. Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The Mayor emphasized that the appointing authorities of Dr. Otuaro and Engr. Kyari are fully satisfied with their services.
He dismissed the protesters as mere “busybody intermeddlers” who, in their attempt to destabilize the PAP and NNPCL, have orchestrated unwarranted attacks against these leaders.
According to the Mayor, the real enemies of the Nigerian state — the oil thieves and other criminals — are reeling from the success of TSSNL, which has effectively secured the western axis of Nigeria’s waters.
This security effort has rendered their illicit operations almost impossible, forcing these criminals to resort to spreading falsehoods. He attributed the current protests to the frustration of those who have lost their grip on the region’s oil theft activities.
“Sincerely speaking, life is very tough for oil thieves now, just like the renegades and self-acclaimed ‘owners’ of the PAP, who were booted out by Dr. Otuaro from the system.
“These individuals, along with fake contractors who previously collected huge sums for unexecuted contracts, are now crying wolf. They have recruited foot soldiers who engage in protests every other week. We call them wailers and career protesters.”
The Mayor praised the efficiency of TSSNL in securing pipelines, noting that its efforts have directly contributed to an increase in national oil production — from 1.43 million barrels per day in June 2024 to 1.8 million barrels per day.
To the oil thieves, he noted, this news is a setback, and they will continue to attempt to blackmail those responsible for this achievement.
“The attacks on Otuaro are futile,” Akpodoro said. “Nothing can stop the regional train of progress now that a new handler is in charge.
“The programme has suffered enough under the hands of malfeasants, and it is time for the intervention agency to achieve its goals.
“This is the best phase of the programme, and all well-meaning Niger Deltans are happy and grateful to the President for appointing Dr. Otuaro as the Administrator of the programme.”
In his statement, the Mayor called for the extension of TSSNL’s surveillance contract, an increase in funding for greater efficiency, and the expansion of its operational scope to cover other areas vulnerable to oil theft.
He also urged the National Security Adviser to the President, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to rein in those inciting violence in the Niger Delta region.
“The opposition elements must be closely monitored to prevent them from creating crises for their political gains in the upcoming 2027 elections,” Mayor Akpodoro cautioned. “We see them stoking unrest to get back into power, and this must be prevented.”
Mayor Akpodoro reassured the public that despite the noise and protests, the progress being made in the Niger Delta under the leadership of Tompolo, Otuaro, and Kyari is unstoppable.
