The Ovie of the Idjerhe Kingdom and Chairman of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON) Traditional Rulers and Elders Advisory Council, His Royal Majesty, King Obukowho Monday Whiskey, Udurhie I, has raised alarm over an alleged conspiracy to discredit and destabilise key players in the Niger Delta security and development framework.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, and made available to newsmen in Asaba, Delta State, the revered monarch claimed that a group of “enemies of Nigeria” have launched a coordinated media campaign against Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the current Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
According to King Whiskey, the ongoing attacks are part of a deliberate plot to disrupt the operations of Tantita Security Services Limited—a company contracted by the federal government to combat pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
“The calculated media campaign against High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo and his Tantita Security Nigeria Limited is nothing but a blackmail strategy to disorganize the operations of the Security Company so that they can return to their evil businesses of crude theft and pipeline vandalism,” the monarch stated.
He further alleged that the same forces are targeting Dr. Otuaro due to his reforms in the Amnesty Programme, which he said are both “visible and transformative.”
King Whiskey urged patriotic Nigerians and critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta to speak up in defense of Tompolo and Otuaro, warning that succumbing to the orchestrated attacks would be tantamount to dragging the region back into a “dark era” of insecurity and environmental degradation.
He also cautioned the federal government not to be swayed by what he described as a “well-designed orchestrated campaign” aimed at discrediting credible efforts in the region.
“The federal government has its evaluation procedure to know if the affected government appointee and the pipeline security company are living up to their assigned duties,” he noted. “Nobody has appointed these agents of darkness as monitoring authorities.”
King Whiskey commended Tantita Security Services Limited for its contributions to environmental restoration and security improvements, noting that the company’s efforts have led to the return of aquatic life, clean water bodies, and safer communities in previously volatile areas.
“Rather than castigate Tompolo and Otuaro, they should be commended. We were living witnesses to the sorry state of our economy and environment before the advent of Tantita Security Services Limited,” he added.
