News
Pipeline Protection: Akeredolu knocks FG for permitting ‘non-state actors’ to carry arms
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has criticised the Federal Government for permitting “non-state actors to bear heavy assault weapons while denying the same privilege to the states and federating units” with joint security outfits like the Amotekun Corps.
Akeredolu stated this is a statement he signed on Wednesday and made available to Nigerian NewsDirect by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde.
The chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum and the Southern Governors’ Forum condemned the decision of the Federal Government to award a contract for the protection of pipelines in the South-South to a private security company.
The Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, had on Tuesday described as the right decision, its resolve to award the contract for the surveillance of pipelines to a company that a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has an interest in.
Kyari, who spoke at the 49th session of the state house briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said, “We need private contractors to man the right of way to these pipelines…We don’t have access to that and therefore, we put up a framework where contractors were selected through a tender process for people who can do it, not everyone can do it and Tompolo is just mentioned, we’re dealing with corporate entities.
“He may have an interest in the company, we’re not dealing with Tompolo, but we know that he has interests in that company.”
Recall the governors of the six states inaugurated the South-West security network codenamed Amotekun. The South-East governors followed suit in 2021 and inaugurated a regional security network popularly known as Ebube Agu.
But the Federal Government has denied both regional outfits a license to bear arms.
Akeredolu isaid state government-owned security outfits actually need permission to bear assault rifles and not non-state actors or private security firms.
Akeredolu’s statement which was titled, ‘Who Actually Needs Weapon?’ read, “The news concerning the purported award of pipeline contracts to some individuals and private organisations by the Federal Government has been unsettling.
“More disquieting is the barely disguised hostility displayed against either the idea or the actual establishment of security outfits by some State Governments to fill the widening gaps in the scope of security coverage noticeable nationally.
“The Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser, has been consistent in its refusal to accede to the request by some States in the Federation to strengthen the complementary initiatives adopted to protect lives and property.
“This is done in spite of the knowledge that the very issues which necessitated the creation of these outfits support providing adequate weaponry.
“All attempts to persuade the Federal Government to look, critically, into the current security architecture have been rebuffed despite the manifest fundamental defects engendered by over-centralisation.
“It is, therefore, shocking to read that the Federal Government has maintained the award of the contract to ‘protect’ the country’s pipeline from vandals to private organizations. This story, if true, leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
“The NSA will, obviously, not advise the President to approve the award of a contract of such magnitude if the operators have not displayed sufficient capacity to checkmate the criminal activities of equally powerful groups.
“Consequently, it is safe to conclude that the Federal Government has, implicitly, permitted non-state actors to bear heavy assault weapons while denying the same privilege to the States, the federating units.
“The award of contracts to private organizations to protect against the vandalisation of pipelines raises fundamental questions about the sincerity of the advisers of the Government on security issues.
“The open and seeming enthusiastic embrace of this oddity, despite the constant and consistent avowal of the readiness by the Security Agencies in particular the Navy to contain the pervasive and deepening crises of breaches and threats to lives and property, attracts the charge of insincerity bordering, deplorably, on dubiety.
“If the State Governments, which are keenly desirous of protecting their citizens, establish ancillary security outfits and there has been pronounced reluctance, if not outright refusal, to consider permitting them to bear arms for the sole purpose of defense, granting private individuals and or Organizations unfettered access to assault weapons suggests, curiously, deep-seated suspicion and distrust between the Federal Government and the presumed federating units.
“The engagement of private organizations to handle serious security challenges reinforces the belief that the whole defense architecture in the country needs an urgent overhaul.
“The Federal Government cannot be seen to be playing the Ostrich in this regard.”
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N672.1 billion between January and April this year.
The outgoing Area Controller, Babajide Jaiyeoba, said this during his handing over and retirement from service in Lagos on Monday.
He said that the command generated a record-breaking revenue of N182 billion in April alone, the highest monthly collection in the history of the service.
He attributed his success to the Almighty God, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi and the entire staff of Apapa command as well as the cooperation of the stakeholders.
“I will describe the eight-month tenure as Area Controller of Apapa Command as joyful and characterised by exciting moments culminating into tangible results for the benefit of the nation.
“We have set the ball rolling for the actualisation of our target and the officers I am leaving behind are focused on this. My optimism is not misplaced because we have all proven to be tested and trusted,” Jaiyeoba said.
He thanked the officers for relentlessly pursuing maximum collection of duty by preventing leakages, fighting against smuggling and ensuring that traders enjoyed hitch-free clearance under his leadership.
He solicited the support of all officers, sister government agencies and stakeholders for the incoming Area Controller, Babatunde Olomu.
“Let’s triple or possibly, quadruple the cooperation and support I got for him. His success is our common benefit.
“For over three decades, I have known him to be a team player and result-oriented officer,” Jaiyeoba said.
He commended the speedy operations of the scanner centre which had contributed meaningfully to revenue collection in the nation’s busiest port.
The Chairman, Bonded Terminal Association, Gerald Mbamalu, said Jaiyeoba demonstrated professionalism in the customs profession.
Welcoming the new Comptroller, Mbamalu expressed optimism that Olomu would surpass the yearly revenue target of the command.
In his acceptance speech, Olomu pledged robust engagements with port stakeholders as his major goal as the new helmsman at the command.
Olomu spoke after receiving the handover notes, following the retirement of Jaiyeoba.
He said that Nigeria held a strategic position for trade in West and Central Africa and gave an assurance that Apapa Port would play a critical role in Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“We are reviving Nigeria’s readiness for improved trade with fellow African countries and the world at large.
“The management of the service is committed to evolving a more modern customs with Apapa Port being a nucleus to the implementation of many trade facilitation reforms championed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, MFR.
“I want to urge our officers to brace up for the changes that will feature as fallouts of customs modernisation, otherwise called e-customs, AEO, and many other groundbreaking World Customs Organisation (WCO) innovations like the recently-introduced advanced ruling policy.”
France has expressed its commitment to strengthen existing relations with Nigeria, especially in tackling illegal migration and human trafficking.
France Ambassador in charge of Migration at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Christophe Leonzi, made this known when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Monday in Abuja.
“We will like to establish more regular dialogue between Nigeria and France, and the two ministries especially in area of illegal migration and how to tackle it headlong.
“Another area that calls for worry is in the area of human trafficking.
“It will be of immense benefit to both countries if we can cooperate more efficiently in different aspects to stem the tide,” the envoy added.
He said, though the two countries have been cooperating in that area, there was need to delve more into the already existing cooperation.
“Nigeria is a strong partner in this regard, no doubt,” Leonzi said, adding that the cooperation should be reinforced in the area of border security and management.
“If the borders are not porous and the necessary cutting-edge technology, aside human presence, are in place, no doubt it will go a long way to tackle the ugly trend to a reasonable level.
“A good border management brings about certain level of security of a country but a porus border usually brings about vulnerability of a country, especially in terms of security of that country,“ the envoy added.
In his remarks, Tunji-Ojo, said Nigeria would continue to strengthen its relations with France, to make it better and stronger.
“The stronger the relationship the better it is for both countries,” the minister said.
He said that development cooperation between the two countries have been extremely helpful to Nigeria over the years.
“In terms of meeting our goals, targets and of course taking us from where we were to where we are now, I believe that more of this programme will take us to where we actually want to be.
“Regular meetings and visits of this nature are very important for both countries, because when you do not share problems, when you do not talk to share problems, solutions will always be a mirage.
“For instance long before now, Nigerians going to Italy was a big problem, but today, I know building on our interactions, is a different ball game altogether and it will be difficult for any irregular immigrant from Nigeria to stay in Italy.
“This is because if we get you and we identify you, our immigration officer stationed solely in Italy for that purpose would ensure that bringing that person back becomes easier.
“I think in UK too, just two weeks ago, our team just came back from there for our biannual meeting that is of mutual benefit to both countries, especially in the area of irregular migration.
“With this development, we are beginning to see change of status in terms of illegal migration between the two countries.
“So, I align myself 100 per cent with your proposal, I think it’s one that will help us to be more proactive than being reactive.“
The minister added that the major problem the country had over the years, was the government being reactive when it comes to the issue of illegal migration, instead of being proactive.
“So, it means the more we invest our energy on being proactive, the better it is for us,“he said.
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