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A prominent community leader in the oil producing Ogulagha Kingdom of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta state, Chief Larry Adanike, has cautioned Urhobo communities against what he described as sponsored protests against Tantita Security Services Limited.
Tantita Security Services Limited which plays a critical role in securing the nation’s pipelines is owned by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, an Ijaw from Delta State.
Adanike who made the appeal for caution in a statement noted that the same contract, part of which is being handled by Tantita Security Services, was previously managed by a stranger for eight years without protests.
Adanike stressed that even when there were rampant incidents of massive pipeline vandalization and its attendant effect on the environment of host communities, there were no such protests.
He recalled that before Tantita came on board, the nation’s daily oil production crashed to 650,000 barrels per day as companies could not pump crude oil from their flow stations because over 85 percent of products were lost to breaches on the pipelines by oil thieves.
Adanike stressed that it is inimical to the existing inter-ethnic harmony and unity that has been sustained in Delta state for platforms belonging to some ethnic groups to sponsor protests against Tantita’s operations in their communities because the firm belongs to an Ijaw man.
He said, “Today people are sponsoring Itsekiris to protest against the Ijaw man’s Company, asking for the withdrawal of Tantita Security Job which Tantita is executing very competently – such that we no longer have pipeline vandalization and oil theft , and our oil production has improved tremendously up to atleast 1.8m million barrels per day.
He emphasized that greed, envy, will not help the cause of unity amongst the tribes in Delta State.”
Adanike also listed the numerous major pipeline contracts being executed by companies belonging to other ethnic groups especially the Urhobos in Ijaw communities with no protests of disturbances.
He advised that targeting a company because it belongs to somebody from one ethnic group is a dangerous trend which would be counter productive.
“The Chairman of Tantita is an Ijaw Leader from both Gbaramatu and Ogulagha Kingdoms with massive assets helping the economy of Delta State and Nigeria.
“We have managed our unity and togetherness better than this. Who knows if after years , an Urhobo man will be given this work that Tantita Services is doing today? Will Ijaws now say that such Contractor (s) should not work in Ijaw areas too?
“This is a dangerous trend that the Urhobos are starting. It is better they have a rethink, before it will force Ijaws to react with tit-for-tat,” he cautioned.
