Published 16th Apr, 2024

By Isaac Markson

A feud between an illegal oil bunker, Endurance Okodeh alias Amangbein and a sophisticated cartel of powerful illegal oil bunkers led to the killing of 17 soldiers in the Okuama community in Ughelli South LGA of Delta, investigations revealed.

Findings unmasked how the leader of the cartel, ex-militant leader Government Ekpemukpolo alias Tompolo who operates a private security company, in a bid for total control of the creeks of Niger Delta, earlier warned Amangbein, who is an ally of a sitting governor in one of the Niger-Delta States, to stay off illegal oil business, a development the latter saw as oppression.

Amangbein, a known ex-militant, hails from the Igbomotoru community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa state. He is also a leading voice against Tompolo and the ex-Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) boss, Patrick Akpobolokemi, in both the creek business and the Okuama/Okoloba land dispute.

Investigations revealed that the military authorities zeroed in on Amangbein in search of the leader of the militant group that killed 17 officers and soldiers of the 181 Battalion of the Nigerian Army that went to Okuama community to free one Anthony Aboh, said to be an ally of Akpobolokemi.

The former NIMASA chief allegedly built a mansion in the disputed land between Okuama and Okoloba communities. The building of the house on the disputed land is said to be the genesis of the debacle that led to the killing of the soldiers.

Amangbein’s mother hailed from Okuama, an Urhobo community in Ughelli South LGA, in Delta state. He is now said to have fled to his paternal community in Bayelsa state, apparently informed of the military’s raid of the Igbomotoru community, which left several residents injured and properties destroyed.

A general and the chief of defence staff, Christopher Musa, had earlier said that the 17 military personnel, including four officers and 13 soldiers, were murdered in relation to illegal bunkering business. But Okuama community insisted that the soldiers stormed the community, accusing them of being in possession of one Anthony Aboh, whose lifeless body has since been recovered floating in Forcado River near Ayakoroma community.

Sources said the lifeless body of Anthony Aboh was recovered floating on River Forcados close to the Ayakoromo community in Delta state. One of the sources in Okoloba said, “We found the lifeless body of Mr. Anthony Aboh floating on River Forcados near Ayakoromo community.”

HOW THE ILLEGAL OIL CARTEL WORKS

The illegal oil cartel in the Niger Delta comprises influential Nigerians and foreigners, including top military operators, government officials, highly-placed and retired oil industry players, politicians and business persons, and they are the financiers of oil bunkering syndicates, which over the years have plunged the country’s economy in the abyss of decline.

Their oil bunkering cartel, working with insiders, steals crude directly from major crude oil pipelines in the oil-rich region while officials pump crude to the different terminals. They know the time and duration of pumping and the exact pipelines.

The damage inflicted by small oil bunkers who illegally refine crude oil in the Niger Delta region is child’s play compared to the havoc the almighty cartel that owns giant vessels and equipment wreaks on the nation’s economy.

File: A military burial in Nigeria.

There are local oil mafias who also siphon from major pipelines and later sell their product to the big oil players, who use superior tubes and experts to drain off crude oil.

Every security officer involved in the business is well ‘taken care of’ and so, secrecy is maintained. Security operatives who mount sentry on waterways also collect levies from local oil bunkers, and many want to serve in such lucrative beat. They also make returns to superior officers, an insider told this reporter.

This reporter gathered that even with the militarisation of the waterways and the award of security contracts to Tompolo to secure crude oil, the illegal oil business has continued to blossom in Niger Delta. A development the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) GMD, Mele Kyari ascribed to Nigerian professionals and elites as the brain behind oil theft in the region.

This claim was controverted by Niger Delta elder statesman Edwin Clarke, who fingered the NNPC and the military as the big-time oil thieves.

CRUX OF THE KILLING

The incident leading to the current crisis is said to have started as unrest in January 2024, following an age-long land dispute between the people of Okoloba and Okuama, leading to a deadly conflict that has brought about loss of lives on both sides. Consequently, the military command unit of the JTF at Bomadi was invited to the scene. It was, however, said that the invitation of the military was at the behest of the ex-NIMASA boss, who had allegedly used his influence to skew the military intervention in favour of his community, Okoloba.

According to Okuama community president-general James Oghoroko, Akpobolokem is an ally of Tompolo, who works closely with the military to secure the creeks. The military’s involvement in the dispute has elicited great suspicion from the people of Okuama, who feel unfairly treated.

Consequently, the attempt by the military personnel to invite the leaders of Okuama was greatly resisted, as it was believed that it was merely an attempt to unduly victimise the people of the community. Until the military authorities can explain the exact nature of the ‘peace mission’ warranting the soldiers’ presence in the community, the street narrative of the military intervention of working under the dictates of Tompolo and Akpobolokem may become attractive and may snowball into a nationwide narrative.

The ICIR also gathered that Akpobolokem, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a N754 million fraud, built a white mansion on the disputed land, a development that Amangbein and Okuama community elders challenged. It was gathered that an ally of the ex-NIMASA boss, Anthony Aboh, was taken hostage by Okuama people rising from the house built on the disputed land. Residents said that it was this person’s abduction that the military had come to investigate and, perhaps, effect his release, not any peace mission as claimed by the military authorities.

WHO KILLED THE 17 SOLDIERS?

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the soldiers, according to Army sources, 17 military personnel, including a Commanding Officer, two Majors, one Captain and 12 soldiers were murdered by suspected youths of Okuama community. Insiders confided to The ICIR that the soldiers used a speed boat owned by Tantita security outfit, Tompolo’s private security outfit.

The soldiers: Cpl Yahaya Danbaba; Cpl Kabir Bashir; LCpl Bulus Haruna; LCpl Sole Opeyemi; LCpl Bello Anas; LCpl Hamman Peter; LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi; Pte Alhaji Isah; Pte Clement Francis; Pte Abubakar Ali; Pte Ibrahim Adamu, and Pte Adamu Ibrahim. Others include Lt. Col. AH Ali (Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion); Major SD Shafa; Major DE Obi; Capt. U Zakari and Sgt. Yahaya Saidu were reportedly lured into the creek opposite Okuama community and were all killed but no one has questioned why trained soldiers were killed and those that conveyed them with speed boat survived. The question begging for an answer is, does Tantita security rent their speed boats? Does it mean that the 181 Amphibious Battalion has no speed boat they use for routine patrol?

TOMPOLO REFUSES TO SPEAK

Since there were allegations that the speed boat used by the slain soldiers belonged to Tantita security firm, which Tompolo owns, The reporter went to Oporoza on Saturday, March 30, 2024, to obtain comments from the ex-militant leader but was told that all media activities of the ex-militant leader is being handled by his media consultant, Paul Bebenimibo.

The ICIR contacted Paul Bebenimibo on his known MTN cell phone number but he did not take his calls. Short message service (SMS) and WhatsApp messages were sent to him on March 31 and April 1, 2024, asking him to clarify his boss’ stance on the use of the Tantita speed boat by the soldiers and whether the firm rents out its speed boats and whether Tompolo was in cold war with Amangbein. However, all attempts were unsuccessful, as he did not return calls or respond to the SMS or WhatsApp messages sent to his cell phone.

WHO ARE THE OIL MAFIA?

According to a Port Harcourt environment activist, Imabong Cliff, the government has not demonstrated seriousness to fight the oil theft, and “whatever tough measures are said to have been adopted have not put off the cartel.”

An activist with Young Nigerian Rights Organisation based in Asaba, Delta state, Victor Ojei, also criticised government efforts at dealing with the issue of oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta.

“The tenacious ascent in oil robbery despite significant interests in securing oil pipelines brings up issues about the adequacy of the public authority’s methodology. It is conceivable that the actions taken to this point by the federal government of Nigeria have not sufficiently tended to the main drivers of the issue or have been inadequate to counter the refined strategies utilised by the oil criminals.

A knowledgeable source said that the cartel, over the years, successfully sold a decoy, making successive governments believe that oil theft was being carried out by small-time oil bunkers and Niger Delta militants bent on destroying the country’s economy, and so they must be eliminated. The Presidency believed that the big-time oil thieves continued their brisk business with protection from security operatives.

HOW TOMPOLO WAS AWARDED A SURVEILLANCE CONTRACT

But the real challenge is not the small-time oil thieves, it is the influential cartel that is strongly connected and has continued to operate with impunity despite the security measures in place.

A security expert said, “There is no way they can fetch out the illegal oil cartels for possible persecution under the current set-up because those in charge of security are part of the cartel and those saddled with oil pipelines protection contracts.”

Prior to awarding the surveillance contract to Tompolo in 2022, the federal government had understudied the system and came to the understanding that, because of his knowledge of the creeks, ex-militant Tompolo could help the government stop pipeline vandalism and reduce bunkering. It was an idea that top military shots during President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime bought into.

HOW TOMPOLO USES MILITARY, MILITANTS IN THE CREEK

Before President Bola Tinubu renewed the Tompolo’s security contract, there were agitations by other ethnic nationalities on the need for them to secure pipelines within their domain instead of giving all the contracts to Tantita Security Company. However, it is alleged that since Tompolo fulfilled his part of the political deal sealed with President when he visited him in his hometown in Oporoza by mobilising for Tinubu Presidency in the region, Tinubu ignored the agitations of other ethnic groups like the Isoko, Urhobo amongst others to give same surveillance contract for them to secure pipelines in their domain and renewed the pipelines surveillance contract to Tompolo through the NNPC GMD

After the re-award of the contract, many expected to get jobs and other benefits, including politicians and security agents, who all have roles to play.

A very reliable source told The ICIR that immediately after the contract was renewed, a former JTF commander, Major-General Sarkin Yarkin-Bello, who tormented Tompolo in 2009 in the oil-rich region, was in Oporoza on one of the weekends, where he assured Tompolo that Operation Delta Safe would work with him.

Tompolo is also said to have invited some militant leaders, including Amangbein, to work with him, saying he would work out modalities to ensure their interest was accommodated. Since then, Tompolo has been said to control both the military and civilian security operators in the creeks. But Amangben turned down Tompolo’s invitation, and the latter allegedly boasted that the former would have himself to be blamed in the creek.

WIKE STATEMENT ON MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN OIL THEFT PLAYING OUT?

In 2019, former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, bravely told the nation that top military operators were involved and sponsoring illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region.

He fingered a General Officer Commanding, GOC, a major general, Jamil Sarhem who he alerted, had raised a team of soldiers to steal and sell petroleum products in the region.

Not many believed him because they thought he was playing politics, but Wike spoke from information available to him as the chief security officer of Rivers State.

Wike, however, did not substantiate his allegation. What is known is that the big oil mafias have the support of top military generals, who instruct their subordinate commanders in the area of responsibility, AOR, not to disturb his “friends,” and the benefits go around.

Policemen and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had time without number clashed with the military in the Niger Delta region over the protection of alleged oil bunkering sites.

ARMY CONTRADICTS SELF ON OKUAMA KILLINGS

The military contradicted itself with the statement of the chief of defence staff, a general, Christopher Musa, who said that the deceased four military personnel and thirteen soldiers who went to Okuama were killed in relation to illegal oil bunkering while the army acting director defense information, a brigadier general, Tukur Gusau said they were on a peacekeeping mission.

Gusau said, “The troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuama community in Ughelli LGA of Delta State, were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

“The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities, both in Delta State.”

The reinforcement team led by the commanding officer was also attacked, leading to the deaths of the commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers.

Findings revealed that the military officers and soldiers who stormed Okuama community were not in any way connected to land issue but a battle of supremacy on who controls the creeks with some members of the illegal oil cartel using the military to achieve their purpose.

Sources within sister security agencies in the area said the military did not inform them neither the Ughelli south Local government chairman, who is the chief security officer of the Local government, nor the Okuama monarch, a development the Ewu monarch confirmed while briefing newsmen before he eventually surrendered himself before the Delta state police command of their peace mission being claimed by the military authority.

WE ARE JUST POOR FISHERMEN—OKUAMA COMMUNITY

Some Okuama residents have come forward to deny the killing of the soldiers, alleging serious conspiracy against them and insisting that they are poor fishermen and petty farmers and could not have gotten such sophisticated arms to fight or kill 17 soldiers. They claimed that the attackers are militiamen dressed in army uniforms, invaded the community, resulting in the loss of many lives and properties.

Onajite Idiaphoro, an indigene of Okuama community said; “We were holding our regular community meeting on that fateful day when some men in army uniform, with a gunboat used by this private security company, invaded the meeting demanding to see our community chairman.”

“As soon as our chairman was identified, the men said that they were taking him to Bomadi for questioning, but the community women resisted the approach because Okuama community is under Ughelli South Local Government Area and the chairman did not commit any crime neither the community that demands military invasion.

“The men started shooting, killing two persons instantly and injuring many persons before driving away.”

Further, Idiaphoro said that after the first shooting, residents of the community, especially the men, started moving out, fearing the worst could happen later. “After four hours, the men came back with many gunboats, shooting indiscriminately, killing many persons, including women and children, before burning houses.

“How do our people who are mere fishermen and farmers have guns to fight, talk less of killing a whole 17 army officers as claimed.”

MILITARY CONTINUE HAVOC IN URHOBO COMMUNITIES

Soldiers have continued operations against more Urhobo communities in the Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, apparently in retaliation for the heinous crime of the killing of their officers and men.

This is coming as several riverine communities in Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom raised alarm over military siege and forceful invasions of their community.

It was gathered that several houses have been burnt in Orere, Omosuomo and Olota communities, all neighbouring communities to Okuama community.

Sources told this reporter in Ewo’s main town, Okwagbe, that the youths in the neighbouring communities who have nothing to do with the crisis in Okuama are being assaulted on a daily basis.

Okuama: Military declares 8 wanted over killing of 17 soldiers The eight persons declared wanted by the DHQ for the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuma, Delta state. Picture courtesy of @DefenceInfoNG

Adjoka Morrison, a local boat operator who narrated his ordeal, said, “On March 21, I was at the riverside preparing for my daily business when I saw the Nigerian Army with five gunboats and four Hilux loaded with soldiers.

“They held and bundled me into one of the gunboats and took me to the other river bank of the community, and as they were taking me into the community, they were shooting sporadically; they messed so many of us up, one the army personnel punched my right eye.”

Orere community chairman, Michael Edameneri, narrated his ordeal and said “We woke up to hear the sound of gunshots at the waterside of our community, and I saw both old and the young running and scampering for safety.

“As the community chairman, when I came out, I saw a multitude of the Nigerian Army entering the community from different directions, and I introduced myself to them, and they took me to the town hall.

“Before we got there, they had assembled almost everyone for interrogation; our former chairman, Mr Ighoteguono, was injured in his head with their gun butt.

“They separated me from others as they started interrogating me, they asked me to take them to where we keep our guns, I told them we don’t have any guns except for our local vigilantes.

They were interrogating me at gunpoint and they were also having me videoed, and a drone with the threat to kill me if I should lie to them but I insisted that we do not have any gun or refugees in the community.

“One of the army told me point blank that our people have been killing their colleagues at the riverside and they are ready to kill anyone.

“While interrogation was going on, one of the army personnel used a key to open a room store at the town hall in search for what I could not explain. They went to my compound and destroyed doors, burst into many houses in Orere, but they did not find anything.

“They also asked me to agree that the community should be burnt down because we are hiding people from them or they will take me along with them.

“They took me to the entrance of the community, where the shrine is situated; they destroyed and desecrated the entire place in search of guns and people.

The situation was, however, not different in Omosuomo community where soldiers were said to have set three houses ablaze. The soldiers were said to have stormed the community in their numbers as villagers fled for safety.

A top member of the community, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of arrest, noted that no fewer than 15 persons were injured during the military raid on Ewu community, adding that two indigenes namely Diamond Godday Umukoro and Micheal Omeyadonor were arrested.

He said contrary to social media reports, many houses were still untouched in the two communities, stressing that the buildings that were touched were mainly those linked with the suspected killers.

“Contrary to social media reports and analysis on broadcast media, many buildings are still standing in the affected communities. The communities were not razed down as being insinuated. At the appropriate time, the military will open the places for the media to visit and assess what’s on the ground,” he added.

SECURITY EXPERT, URHOBO UNION, STAKEHOLDER WANT FG TO SET UP INDEPENDENT PANEL

Amid the mixed reactions that has trailed the circumstance surrounding the killing of the four officers and thirteen soldiers, Lagos-based security expert and security consultant to Ametokun, Hassan Stan Labo, the Urhobo Progress Union youth wing legal adviser, Princess Omeyoma Eshemitan and former commissioner in Delta state, a professor, Patrick Muboghare who spoke with this reporter has tasked President Bola Tinubu to set up independent panel of inquiry to unearth the root cause that led to the killing of the slain officers and men of the Nigeria military.

They expressed divergent views over the claims of the military authorities saying the slain officers and men of the military were in Okuama community on a peace mission but wondered why the military would not not pre-inform sister security agencies in the area for collaboration.

For Hassan Labo “it is not out place if the military did not inform sister security agents of their coming if it is on discreet information.”

The trio agreed that the military has no constitutional powers to investigate a case of alleged murder.

Muboghare stated that section 214 of the Nigeria constitution clearly defines who has power to investigate and persecute murder case suspect and not the military.

“The recent events surrounding the handing over of the King of Ewu Kingdom, to the army authority by the Delta State police command calls for concern over the obedience to constitutional duties and proper procedure in law enforcement within the confines of Nigeria law.”

“This incident shows a clear breach of the constitutional duties assigned to the police force as established by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Under the constitutional framework, the police are entrusted with the responsibility to prevent, detect, and prosecute offenses, including murder, within the country, while that of the military primarily revolves around defense against external aggression and the maintenance of territorial integrity.”

“The king already displayed a superior understanding of the law by turning himself up to the police instead of the Nigerian military, which had declared him wanted.”

“However, in the case at hand, the decision to surrender the King to the military instead of conducting an independent investigation or collaborating with the army for assistance raises questions about the proper execution of these constitutional mandates. Section 214 of the Constitution and the Police Act unequivocally designate the police as the primary authority for handling criminal matters, including murder cases.”

“The act confers upon the police the power to prosecute offenses relating to murder in any guise. Therefore, the decision of the Delta State police command to hand over the King to the army authority represents a departure from established legal norms and procedures. The implications of this decision extend far beyond misplaced priorities and irregularities. It is a miscarriage of Justice. By surrendering the King to the army authority, the police have effectively renounce their responsibility and violated the principles of due process and the rule of law.”

This story was originally published by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) on April 13, 2024.

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