President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been advised to be wary of allowing forces of darkness behind crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering to return to the creeks of the Niger Delta.
The advice came from journalist-turned traditional ruler of Idjerhe kingdom, His Majesty Obukowho Monday Whiskey, Udurhie 1, on the heels of calls in some quarters against the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL).
He warned that any attempt by the Tinubu-led administration to deny TSSNL another shot at the contract, in spite of its redemptive performance in the last one year, will return the safety of the Niger Delta environment and the economy of the nation to the dark days.
“I am indeed worried that some dark forces are hiding under the pretext of freedom of speech to work against the Nation’s economic development by opposing the renewal of the current security pipeline contract awarded to Tantita Security Limited and forgetting the sorry state of the Niger Delta environment and the near total collapse of all aquatic life and economic downturn before Tantita came to the rescue.
“It is instructive to note that apart from Tantita Security, other companies were also awarded the same pipeline security contract and there are possibilities that more others will be awarded. So the question is why are people against Tantita Security project?
“Maybe they expected that Tantita’s authorities will compromise and allow the forces of darkness to continue with their nefarious activities that brought the nation’s economy to its knees while some disgruntled elements smiled to the banks.
“The Federal Government should not only discard such forces of darkness, but reward Tantita Security authorities by expanding the scope of their work as can be seen from their performance chats and rewarding hard work and patriotism as shown to encourage others to work for national interest rather than selfish individual interest,” the monarch noted in a statement.
He commended President Tinubu-led government’s visit led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to assess the state of things across the Niger Delta region.
According to him, “This is one bold step that is worthy of commendation as visiting the areas will give government firsthand information and true situation on ground.
“It is very lucid from the visit that the visitors saw for themselves cleaner Niger Delta rivers different from the highly-polluted waters of 2022 before Tantita Security officials resumed work.
“They saw for themselves aquatic life returning to their natural environment and yet some self appointed agents of darkness are up in arms advocating for cancellation of this all important security contract that is today saving the nation’s economy and restoring our degraded environment gradually to its normal state.
“Tantita Security deserves commendations by all patriots who truly love and wish our country well.”
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