Tension Over Tompolo Warship Between Ijaws and Itsekiri

The purchase of seven battle ship by ex militant Tompolo from the Norwegian government has awaken the sleeping dog, there are reports of fresh tension between between the Itsekiri and Ijaw community of the Niger delta

The Itsekiri's are concerned that the sophisticated battle ship can be used against them,the high speed hulk-class missile guided boat where re-arm and imported from Norway  by an American private security firm on behalf of Tompolo's Global West Vessel Services

The two neighboring tribes have locked in a conflict of land ownership involving federal government 16 billion dollars oil/gas project proposed for Ogidigben, with both side claiming ownership of the land, this has delayed the ground breaking ceremony by President Jonathan twice.

The Warri Study Group,WSG mainly an itsekiri opinion leader body has raised concern over the true intention of this high level acquisition by a ex-militant, the leaders of the WSG are calling on the President to withdraw the coastline protection contract since this is the duty of  Nigeria navy not an individual with violent record like Tompolo

But failure to do so,if eventually this weapon are used by Mr Tompolo on other ethnic group,he will be charge with crime against humanity

 “President Jonathan, Tompolo and the DG of NIMASA are all of Ijaw extraction and we therefore see a script being acted out. Nigeria is the only country in the world where individuals – a rehabilitated militant for that matter – is awarded a contract to oversee the security of the coastline of a nation and with powers to import warships and sophisticated arms.

“The question that begs for answer is this: What is the role of the Nigerian Navy in the protection and the security of the Nigerian coastline? Is the Ministry of Defence aware of all these arms deal?

It must be noted that it is well over a year now that Tompolo has been awarded the security contract and since then not only have illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and sea-piracy being on the increase but the threat of violence by him and his kinsmen has equally gone up. Then Nigerians must ask: Are these warships and arm deals to fight piracy and other criminal activities on our coastline or to intimidate other ethnic nationalities especially Itsekiri in the Niger Delta or cause destabilization as in the North East?


“We call on President Jonathan to intervene immediately by withdrawing the contract given to Tompolo by NIMASA and place him under security watch, if not, in the unfortunate event of weapons being turned against the Itsekiris or any other ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta, he will be held responsible for crime against humanity by the international community even if the Nigerian government fails to act.”

Other ethnic groups in the Niger Delta are similarly worried by the development

Nations.