Odokun Youth Council to FG: Revoke license of Tantita, Tompolo still in the business of stealing crude

Pro Itsekiri organization, Odokun Youth Council, has asked the Federal Government to revoke the license of Tantita Security Service Limited, accusing High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) and “his Ijaw militants” of stealing crude and transporting same to Cyprus and Malta.

Spokesman of Odokun Youth Council, Mele Ofeoritse Conget, who made the allegation Monday April 14, during a press conference held in Warri, Delta State, claimed that Tantita Security personnel recently arrested some Itsekiris from Tisun, Kolokolo as well as Usor communities and detained them in a private cell for three months.  

“On the 4th of April, 2025, Tantita Security invaded Ajigbodudu Community, a community that doesn’t have pipeline infrastructure and illegal bunkery was done at Opia settlement, occupied by Ijaws”, he claimed.

He alluded to Hon. Michael Diden’s allegation that “TANTITA has gradually become a tool used by the Gbaramatu Ijaws to fight war against helpless Itsekiri people. TANTITA is waging ethnic war, torture and running private prison, where the company keeps innocent Itsekiri people and use them as slaves.”

According to Conget, Hon. Diden’s call for Itsekiris to resist the alleged molestation by personnel of Tantia Security Services, reminds Odokun Youth Council of a Nation Newspaper publication of November 21, 2016, wherein High Chief Michael Johnny, reportedly accused Tompolo of being behind pipeline bombings in the Niger Delta region.

Conget, quoted High Chief Johnny to have said: “Tompolo Is behind the bombings; he has been deceiving Mr President that he is the only one that can call the boys (militants) to order. Security operatives will confirm what I am telling you and everybody knows. I am a Gbaramatu man. I cannot destroy my own community for any reason.”

He asserted: “It should be noted that, Gbaramatu and their gangs are only bitter, because the Itsekiri people didn’t allow INEC authenticate the fraudulent proposal of ward delineation, done against the Itsekiri people in favour of the Gbaramatu Ijaws.”

President of Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI, Comr. Dennis Abugewa Mene, who also spoke to news hunters, stated: “Call for the arrest of Hon. Michael Diden, is an attempt to divert attention from the fraud that INEC, in conjunction with some persons perpetrated against the Itsekiri Nation and as a nation, we are not going to accept it.

“The fact that INEC could muster that courage with some element to rob us of our heritage, we reject the exercise in its entirety. The exercise is fraud. The field work that they came here for, they should implement it, not going to cook up figures.

“How can you say the Ijaws have wards in Warri South, it is not possible. The areas they are claiming to own, most of them are owned by the Itsekiris. Even the Olu of Warri property (Delta Boatyard). We therefore call for a review of the ward delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency.Over the years, several names of our communities, have been changed by the Ijaw people.”

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