By Our Reporter
Coordinators of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) from the Urhobo ethnic nationality have disowned a controversial advertorial credited to the President-General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Olorogun Ese Gam Owe, described it as fabricated, misleading, and an attempt to sow discord within the Niger Delta region.
The statement, purportedly issued by Olorogun Owe and published in Vanguard newspaper, had called for the termination of Tantita’s pipeline surveillance contract, citing alleged marginalisation of Urhobo people in the company’s operations.
However, in a counter-statement issued on Monday, Tantita coordinators of Urhobo extraction condemned the advertorial as self-serving and riddled with misinformation.
“Every single kilometre of pipeline traversing Urhobo land is protected by Urhobo indigenes 100%. As of today, Tantita employs over 3,500 Urhobo sons and daughters across 88 communities in 16 Urhobo kingdoms,” the coordinators stated.
They emphasized that the contract executed by Tantita is compliant with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which mandated the inclusion of host communities in oil and gas operations.
The coordinators, who described themselves as stakeholders and Presidents-General of various Urhobo communities, expressed dismay that Olorogun Owe’s publication sought to weaponize the revered UPU platform for ethnic division and extortion.
“It is shocking to us as Urhobos to find a letter from the UPU President-General’s office promoting hatred against non-Urhobos against the spirit of Article 2(B)(1) of the UPU Constitution which promotes unity and good neighborliness,” they said.
They also questioned the legitimacy of the so-called “General Assembly of the Urhobo” referenced in the advertorial, noted that no such organ exist in the UPU Constitution.
“Article 5(a) of the UPU Constitution speaks only of the Annual Urhobo National Congress. The so-called General Assembly Conference does not exist, and no minutes, notice, or date of such a meeting has been presented.”
The coordinators highlighted the significant role Tantita plays in curbing pipeline vandalism, oil theft, and environmental degradation in Urhobo land and beyond.
“For over two years, Tantita operatives largely made up of indigenes have drastically reduced illegal oil refining and vandalism. No single community has complained about their performance.”
They added that nearly 4,000 Urhobo men and women are earning steady incomes through Tantita’s operations, naming various communities such as Kokori, Mosogar, Ugbomro, Arhavwarhien, and Ibada-Elume as active partners in securing national assets.
In a scathing critique, the coordinators warned against what they described as “ethnic entrepreneurship” and attempts to blackmail legitimate businesses under the guise of ethnic agitation.
“Tantita won the pipeline surveillance contract not based on ethnic grounds but on competence and capacity. Using socio-cultural platforms to peddle lies and seek financial gain does not represent the values of the Urhobo people.”
They concluded by reaffirming their support for Tantita and called on Urhobo stakeholders to resist any attempt to hijack the UPU for selfish agendas.
“We will continue to uphold the true values of the UPU love, unity, mutual understanding, and good neighborliness.”
