Comr. Yemi Otuedon, recently spoke out about a troubling situation. He mentioned watching a video of an activist, who studied law at Baze University, publicly defending Tompolo and his company, Tantita Security Services. This activist, once respected, seemed to have lost all integrity, according to Yemi. The activist’s defense of Tompolo on social media, full of confidence, appeared to have been bought with money. Yemi explained that Tompolo Tantita and Maton Engineering had reportedly spent over 3 billion naira on media campaigns, seemingly buying support from anyone willing to speak on their behalf. The video of the activist seemed to be a product of this financial influence.

The activist’s actions raised serious questions. He led a group of NBA members to Oporoza, collaborating with Tompolo and Tantita. While some conferences were sponsored by Tantita, this didn’t change the harsh truth about the situation. The real issue wasn’t the sponsorships, but the silence of this activist and others in the face of severe human rights abuses linked to Tompolo’s activities.

Comr. Yemi pointed out that the activist had remained silent when disturbing videos emerged of Tantita’s security staff beheading Niger Deltans in Rivers State, Nigeria. How could this activist stay quiet when Tompolo allegedly sent kidnappers to abduct Karowei Bala from his family in Bayelsa State? Karowei has been missing for nearly two years since the kidnapping, yet the activist said nothing. Similarly, when another individual, Charles Korubo, was kidnapped by Tompolo’s men and taken to a private prison in Oporoza, the activist remained silent. To this day, Charles is still missing.

The silence extended further. The activist didn’t speak when Bodmas Kemepadei, Tantita’s coordinator in Bayelsa, killed Patrick Peresuodei. Even when victims came forward to share their horrific stories of abuse at Tompolo’s private prison, the activist remained mute. These stories flooded social media, but the activist never condemned the atrocities.

Comr. Yemi also criticized the activist’s lack of understanding regarding Nigeria’s oil production. The activist claimed that the country was producing only 300,000 barrels per day (bpd). This figure was wildly inaccurate, as it had never fallen that low during the Niger Delta militancy. While militant activities in 2009 and 2016 reduced production from 2.2 million bpd to 1.1-1.5 million bpd, it never dropped to 300,000 bpd. The activist, according to Diseimoh, should have educated himself about these facts.

Comr. Yemi also shed light on how Tompolo’s Tantita Security and Maton Engineering are allegedly involved in illegal crude oil activities under the government’s watch. Tompolo and his associates have reportedly been monitoring export terminals, an area not covered by their security contracts. This suggests they might be involved in illegal crude oil activities in collaboration with some NNPCL officials. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy, which the activist had accused of being involved in crude oil theft, had successfully chased off vessels attempting to steal Nigeria’s oil. The Navy, according to Yemi, was not complicit in these illegal actions.

Comr. Yemi called on the Nigerian president to take serious action. He demanded that Tompolo’s Tantita Security and Maton Engineering be removed from pipeline protection contracts. Given their history of criminal activities, including running private prisons, kidnapping, human trafficking, and even beheadings, Comr. Yemi argued that these groups should be classified as terrorist organizations. Victims of these crimes had even protested in front of the White House in the U.S. and filed lawsuits in Nigerian courts.

Comr. Yemi also urged the Nigerian president to decentralize the pipeline security contracts, allowing the Niger Delta oil-producing states and their stakeholders to manage their own pipeline security in synergy with communities that are concern. This, he argued, would not only reduce crude oil theft but also create job opportunities for thousands of youths in the region, promoting peace and security for the nation.