Members of the House of Representatives are considering creating a legal framework that will empower private security firms protecting national oil assets to operate in deep waters in the fight against oil theft and vandalism.
This was mulled when Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Upstream and Oil Theft led a delegation of the National Assembly drawn from all relevant oil and gas committees, on a work visit to the facilities of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) and arrested vessels at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom of Delta State on Saturday.
Hon. Doguwa, who doubles as Chairman of the House Special Committee on Crude Oil, said with him were 25 other members of the House of Representatives drawn from seven House Committees including Host Communities, Niger Delta, Gas Resources, Environment, Petroleum Upstream, Petroleum Mainstream as well as the Petroleum Trust Fund.
The lawmakers, who took time to assess the two vessels – MT KALI and MT HARBOR SPIRIT – which were intercepted and anchored at Oporoza, lauded TSSNL and its founder, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo, for “the patriotism displayed by the private pipeline surveillance firm in synergy with the nation’s security agencies”.
Doguwa said: “We have seen the very good work done by Tantita. We have also seen the very good work being 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.”
The lawmaker further told journalists that the Special Committee was constituted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas “to specifically come and see for ourselves the level of oil and gas and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta”.
He stated; “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 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 secure.
“It is in this regard, therefore, that the Committee would 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.”
Earlier during the visit, 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.
He declared that “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.”
The military Commander further disclosed that the illegal oil bunkering ships arrested recently by TSSNL will soon be destroyed to serve as a deterrent to others who might want to sabotage the national economy.
“In line with the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) of Operation Delta Safe, the vessels will be destroyed here.
“When all the necessary evidence has 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,” he warned.