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Oil thieves angry with me, says Tompolo
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The founder of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, says he is constantly facing threat to his life by the powerful people behind oil theft in the country.
According to him, the oil thieves are powerful people outside of the Niger Delta.
Tompolo, speaking at Oporoza, the headquarters of the Gbaramatu Kingdom, on Monday, alleged that some naval personnel, a few days ago, forcefully attacked operatives of the private outfit during the arrest of some suspected oil thieves along the Port-Harcourt creeks.
Speaking during a working visit of the Nigerian Bar Association national executive, led by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), to the oil-bearing community, Tompolo called for synergy between the Navy and other security outfits.
Tompolo noted that in the course of the surveillance operations to round up crude oil barons, Tantita had stepped on toes and had become the target of revenge missions.
He said, “While doing this work, we have stepped on a lot of toes of people over there in Lagos and Abuja. We have stepped on a lot of toes. As I am here, after my court cases, I cannot travel anywhere because of me and the key people (barons) fighting this battle.
“If I want to travel to Abuja to visit you, I must go with security. Even with two or three security personnel, none of them are happy with me, and they are now collaborating with top players involved in oil theft.
“Most times, you see that Tantita Security now has confrontations with the Navy and every well-meaning Nigerian knows the function of the Nigerian Navy and Tantita, but nobody wants to come out to face the truth.
“If we happen to arrest anybody now, we would get a lawyer from Abuja, Lagos or Ibadan to do the case very well.”
Tompolo expressed worry that efforts to checkmate crude oil theft were being sabotaged in some quarters.
“Some few days back, our people intercepted a vessel in Port Harcourt, where the Nigerian Navy was shooting at Tantita Security, with police, Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“We want to implore and beg you (NBA). You must play in this present situation, because if we are not careful in this country, maybe we will not have money to do any reasonable thing.
“All of us here know that Nigeria is facing hardship. A bag of rice is over N100,000.
“We are going to do our part locally. But you (NBA) are there at the top. If we make arrest today, lawyers would stand on the other side and this side.
“Can somebody come to load a vessel of 500 metric tonnes in this community? Nobody has that capacity; the person comes from Lagos, Abuja, or neighbouring countries.
“The man here would be a water boy for the people in charge. That is the one we would arrest,” he said.
Efforts by our correspondent to reach the Nigerian Navy spokesman, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, for comments on the issue, were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
A female official in the Naval Public Relations Office who picked up telephone calls from our reporter simply said she “had been transferred to Lagos,” just as she maintained that “Commodore Adams-Aliu is in the best position to react to the issue.”
Speaking earlier during a courtesy call on the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, in his palace, the NBA President expressed delight over the recent announcement from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that oil production had risen to 1.8 million barrels per day, with a promise to increase it up to 2 million bpd by the end of this year.
“If the oil production keeps going up, it will benefit all of us and the government will be able to provide for the needs of the people,” he stated.
Consequently, the NBA president maintained that “there is a need to stem the theft of our commonwealth.
“The fight against oil theft is more desirable now, more than ever before, because Nigeria is borrowing so much to fund its budget and cannot meet the needs of Nigerians.”
While lamenting over continuous borrowing by the Federal Government to fund the budget, the NBA President maintained that “if the leakages in oil production are well blocked, it will go a long way in boosting the country’s earnings.”
The NBA team also noted with concern that oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta had adversely impacted the region “as manifested in the environmental pollution and degradation of most of the host communities.”
On this, the NBA President said, “We resolved to make an on-the-scene assessment of the oil-bearing communities to see the hardship they are suffering.
“The NBA is interested in the issues of oil theft coupled with the effects of environmental pollution and environmental degradation as a result of oil exploration on the host communities.
“The irony is that these communities that bear the responsibilities of the nation’s oil wealth do not enjoy the wealth as most of the cities in the country.”
He continued, “Our branches in the oil-bearing areas should be interested in the issues of oil theft which goes on in many communities because it has affected our national economy and also impacted negatively on the ability of the government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“It has also impacted negatively on our foreign reserves. It has adversely affected Nigeria’s ability to meet its minimum OPEC quarter for oil production. We felt that the matter should be taken seriously.
“We know that Gbaramatu Kingdom plays host to a company called Tantita Security Services which has been working with the NNPCL and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“It has done a lot of good work on the issue of pipeline protection and the issue of oil theft. We thought that it would be a good place for us to come, first to get first-hand knowledge of how this battle has been fought, what the challenges approached, and how the fight has helped improve the Nigerian economic standing.”
The traditional ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, in response, called for infrastructural development of the host communities, noting that “presently, the government is far from us.”
He added, “I want to let you know that the presence of the government is even far from us. All these you are seeing is from the efforts of our elite, our big boys.
“So we are also calling on the government, we produce the oil, from our territory we feed the coffers of this country. So they should draw closer to us and do the needful for us to also reciprocate.”
He specifically made a case for the establishment of a magistrate’s court in the Gbaramatu Kingdom just as he also appealed to the leadership of the NBA to mentor members of the Gbaramatu Lawyers Association to further brighten their career prospects in the legal profession.
“We need people like this to come to see things here. This is Gbaramatu. Before now, people were making all sorts of allegations against Gbaramatu Kingdom, but now you are here.
“We always tell people, if you are coming to Gbaramatu Kingdom, don’t be afraid.
“We are working for the peace of the Niger Delta, extending hands of fellowship to other kingdoms. Ijaw people stand for truth. We are a peaceful people.
“Today, I want to tell our lawmakers that the judge in the court should conclude in the court. But as the chairman here, I want to extend this to you, I know I’m not a lawyer or lawmaker, but before concluding your judgments, if it is needed, maybe, a land case, you should come to see for yourself before the final judgment.”
Veteran British politician Andy Burnham has emerged as the new leader of the United Kingdom’s governing Labour Party, clearing the way for him to become the country’s next Prime Minister following the resignation of Keir Starmer.
Burnham was confirmed as Labour leader on Friday after no other candidate secured the required nominations to challenge his bid during a special Labour Party conference, effectively handing him the leadership unopposed. The outcome was officially announced by the UK’s Interior Minister, Shabana Mahmood, who declared Burnham the duly elected leader of the Labour Party.
“There being no other eligibly nominated candidate, it is therefore my honour to declare that the duly elected leader of the Labour Party is Andy Burnham,” Mahmood told party delegates.
Burnham’s emergence comes at a pivotal moment for the Labour Party, which has been grappling with internal uncertainty following Starmer’s decision to step down as party leader amid mounting pressure from within the party. A seasoned politician, Burnham has held several senior ministerial positions under previous Labour governments.
He later became Mayor of Greater Manchester, where he built a strong national profile through his advocacy for greater regional autonomy, improved public services, and increased investment in local communities.
His tenure as mayor earned him widespread recognition, particularly during periods of national crisis when he repeatedly called for increased financial support and greater decision-making powers for local authorities. Burnham is expected to complete the constitutional process and formally assume office as the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister on Monday.
In his acceptance speech, the incoming Labour leader pledged to reunite the governing party after a period of internal divisions and restore public confidence in government.
He also promised to devolve more powers from central government to local authorities, arguing that local communities should have greater control over decisions affecting their economies and public services.
Among his key priorities are strengthening the National Health Service (NHS), improving public transport, stimulating economic growth, and expanding opportunities across every region of the United Kingdom. Political analysts believe Burnham’s administration will focus heavily on regional development, investment in public infrastructure, and reforms aimed at reducing economic inequalities across the country.
His confirmation has already drawn reactions from political leaders, Labour members, and supporters, many of whom expressed optimism that his leadership could mark the beginning of a new chapter for both the Labour Party and the United Kingdom. Attention is now expected to shift to the formation of Burnham’s cabinet and the policy agenda his government intends to pursue during its first weeks in office.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Senator Williams Eteng, has revealed that the National Assembly is moving to amend Nigeria’s petroleum laws to align them with current economic realities, describing many of the existing provisions as obsolete.
Speaking with journalists after the committee’s meeting, the Cross River Central lawmaker said the committee’s priority is to strengthen the petroleum sector by improving infrastructure, increasing crude oil production and providing a legal framework capable of supporting sustainable growth.
“We are looking at ways of improving the petroleum sector, strengthening infrastructure, and increasing crude oil production. That is our major focus,” Eteng said.
The senator disclosed that the committee had already received a proposal seeking amendments to the principal petroleum laws, noting that several penalties and fines currently contained in the legislation have remained unchanged for decades.
“A presentation has been made for us to amend the principal petroleum laws. The penalties are old and outdated. Some of the fines were enacted in 1951, while others date back to 1962. There is a need to bring these laws in line with present-day realities,” he stated.
According to him, reviewing the laws has become imperative to ensure they adequately reflect modern economic conditions and provide an effective regulatory framework for the petroleum industry.
“Laws are made to serve society, and they must be amended from time to time to reflect current economic realities,” he added.
Eteng also addressed reports suggesting that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) delegated a junior officer to appear before the committee, dismissing the claim as inaccurate.
He clarified that the official seen at the committee meeting was merely the company’s liaison officer to the National Assembly and not a representative appearing on behalf of the NNPCL management.
“There was no junior officer representing NNPCL before the committee. The person you saw is the liaison officer between the National Assembly and NNPCL. Please get that right. NNPCL requested an excuse, and another date will be fixed,” he explained.
The chairman reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to engaging relevant stakeholders as it advances legislative reforms aimed at modernising Nigeria’s petroleum industry, enhancing regulatory efficiency and creating an enabling environment for increased investment and production.
News
Ex-Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina appears in South African court to fight deportation
Ex-Miss Universe Chidinma Adetshina, returned to the Cape Town Regional Court on Thursday, July 16, 2026 as she continued her legal fight against deportation after her arrest for allegedly being in South Africa illegally.
Proceedings resumed shortly after 2pm, when the former Miss South Africa contestant was expected to submit an affidavit detailing the steps she says she has taken to regularise her immigration status.
According to an update from eNCA reporter Nobesuthu Hejana, the affidavit forms part of her effort to challenge the Department of Home Affairs’ deportation case.
Adetshina was arrested on 6 June and first appeared in the Cape Town Regional Court on 9 June.
She was released on warning while the matter was postponed to allow the legal process to continue.
The Department of Home Affairs alleges that she and her minor son were living in South Africa without lawful immigration status and is seeking her deportation through the courts.
Court documents previously filed by immigration officials state that authorities believe Adetshina entered South Africa while prohibited from doing so.
Those allegations remain before the court and have not been tested at trial.
Speaking outside court, Nobesuthu Hejana reported: ‘After 14H00 she will present an affidavit on steps she’s taken to regularise her status in the country.’
The court is expected to consider the affidavit alongside the Department of Home Affairs’ submissions before deciding on the next steps in the deportation proceedings.
The court proceedings mark the latest development in the immigration dispute surrounding the beauty queen, whose nationality became the subject of intense public debate during her participation in the 2024 Miss South Africa pageant.
Adetshina, who was born in Soweto, South Africa, to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, had initially contested for the Miss South Africa 2024 crown before withdrawing from the competition amid controversy surrounding her family’s citizenship status.
Her withdrawal followed an investigation by South African authorities into allegations concerning her mother’s identity and citizenship documentation.
The controversy also sparked widespread social media attacks directed at Adetshina because of her Nigerian heritage, despite the fact that she was born in South Africa and had met the eligibility requirements for the beauty pageant.
In August 2024, the South African government stated that Adetshina’s mother, at the time the contestant was a finalist in the Miss South Africa competition, may have been involved in identity theft.
Adetshina was later accepted an invitation to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, and emerged as the winner, earning the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the global Miss Universe competition.Africans & Diaspora
At the 73rd Miss Universe pageant held in Mexico City, Adetshina, finished as the first runner-up and was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.
Just in: Andy Burnham Emerges as UK PM
Senate moves to amend archaic provisions in Petroleum Laws
Ex-Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina appears in South African court to fight deportation
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