...task new board against illegal dealings with Tantita, Tompolo, others

A group, the Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta, has commended President Bola Tinubu for the decision to sack the former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari and the entire board.

According to the group, the decision is apt and timely considering the series of protests, demonstrations at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, front of the United States Congress in Washington DC, and other court cases against the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and the alleged involvement of Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari with Mr. Government Oweizide Ekpomupolo also known as Tompolo, Mr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Mr. Mathew Tonlagha, Mr. Godfrey Pondi, Mr. Keston Pondi, Mr. Simeon Bebenimibo, Mr. Joshua Macaiver, Mr. Komieyefa Uduboh, and others in alleged cases of gross human rights violations and as co-conspirators in operating illegal detention cells and illegally detaining innocent citizens, kidnapping, human trafficking, human slavery and forced labour, engaging in terrorism and terrorism financing, extra judicial killings of innocent citizens and the killings and utilisation of detained citizens for ritual sacrifices in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, Nigeria.

The group, the Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND) in a statement on Wednesday by its publicity secretary Kelvin Orughoe, welcomed the early morning announcement reconstituting the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) board, removing the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kolo Kyari.

President Tinubu, in a statement on Tuesday removed all other board members and replaced them with a new 11-man board has Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive chairman.

The Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND) congratulated the newly appointed board and informed them of several forthcoming international cases at the International Criminal Court (ICC), the United States Department of Justice and other ongoing court cases at the Federal High Court in Abuja involving Mallam Mele Kyari, Tompolo, Mr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, Mr. Mathew Tonlagha and others, including their company Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, warning that the new board should distanced itself from embarrassing dealings with such surveillance contractors and alleged human rights violators.

According to the MSDND, “Mele Kyari, Tompolo and their gang allegedly fought tooth and nail and compromised several individuals to ensure that Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida the non-executive chairman was never appointed to the new NNPCL board. These individuals allegedly sabotaged all favourable efforts in the appointment of Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari and Ahmadu Musa Kida.”

“May we remind the newly constituted NNPCL board that Nine aggrieved youths from the Niger Delta States have dragged Mr. Government Ekpemukpolo also known as Tompolo, and others to the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cases of gross human rights violations and as co-conspirators in operating illegal detention cells and illegally detaining innocent citizens, kidnapping, human trafficking, human slavery and forced labour, engaging in terrorism and terrorism financing, extra judicial killings of innocent citizens and the killings and utilisation of detained citizens for ritual sacrifices in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, Nigeria.

“We must inform the world that these nine aggrieved youths with several of Tompolo’s alleged victims joining their lawsuit on a daily basis have also retained lawyers in the United States and at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek extradition in order to bring Tompolo and his gang including all their companies to face the law abroad.”

The Nine plaintiffs in the suit led by one Peter Zebulon, alleged that at various times, they were illegally arrested and detained by operatives of the Tantita Security Services company in violation of their rights to life as provided in section 33 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In the 17 declarations and order sought from the Court, they prayed the court to declare their arrest and prolonged detention as a violation of their fundamental Rights to life as guaranteed in section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

They claimed in the statement of claims before the Court of an alleged operation of ongoing illegal detention cells with innocent persons allegedly arrested and detained and forced into hard labour and other abuses.

The plaintiff however sought an order of the Court mandating 1st to 11th respondents particularly the 1st and 2nd respondent to release forthwith and immediately all persons who are currently incarcerated in their illegal detention cells in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta state that is been operated under the instructions of the 1st and 2nd correspondents."

"An order to release forthwith and immediately, one Charles Korubo who is currently being held precisely at Oporoza."

"Also an order that one Chief Priest Karowei Bala who is also being held at Oporoza be released."

The plaintiff also sought an order of induction restraining the 1st to 11th respondents particularly the first and 2nd respondents whether by themselves, their agents, privies, servants or however called from arresting, detaining or otherwise interfering with the applicants/plaintiff's right to life, dignity of human person, personal liberty and freedom of movement.

"Also an order of injunction restraining the 12th and 13th respondents from releasing funds to the 1st and 2nd respondents under any purported Tantita projects or any other guise."

The plaintiffs are also seeking an award of N500 billion naira in damages.

"We call on the new board chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida and Ojulari, the new NNPCL Group CEO, to be wary of any under the table dealings with the security surveillance company known as Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and the other respondents in the suit, which include Mr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Mr. Mathew Tonlagha, Mr. Godfrey Pondi, Mr. Keston Pondi, Mr. Simeon Bebenimibo, Mr. Joshua Macaiver, Mr. Komieyefa Uduboh, Mr. Ebipade, and others."