By Raymos Guanah
Delta State is the highest Oil and Gas producing State in Nigeria, as these products abound in large quantities in the three Senatorial Districts of the State. Delta State also has a lot of arable land for agriculture.
On the 15th of October 2025, the Delta State Government launched its Security Trust Fund. Chief Aig Imokhuede, the Chairman of Access Holdings PLC., was the Chairman at the occasion. In attendance were captains of industry from the oil and gas sector, security chiefs, community leaders, top government functionaries, amongst others.
One of the prides of Delta State in the Banking sector, Chief Jim Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank, was the Special Guest of Honour. High Chief Government Ekpomulpolo, also known as Tompolo, was the Chief Launcher. Other dignitaries present included High Chief Victor Wayles Egukowhore, who donated the sum of one billion naira (₦1bn), Mr. Oboden Ibru , and others.
In his welcome address, the governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, said that the Security Trust Fund was to mobilise resources to compliment government`s investment in security. He said that the focus of the Security Trust Fund will be the acquisition of modern surveillance equipment, operational vehicles, communication gadgets, and for the training and retraining of security personnel and local vigilante. The governor added that without adequate security businesses would not thrive, as no investor would be willing to invest in an unsafe environment.
When it was time for donations, guests lived up to expectations, as millions of naira rolled in. Perhaps, the most outstanding donation was that of the Chief Launcher, High Chief Government Ekpomulpolo (Tompolo). He donated the sum of ten billion naira (#10,000,000,000) on behalf of Tantita Security Service Nigeria Ltd. To those who do not know, this is not the first time that Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. is investing on security, invariably because security is one of the major aspects of its activities. The Ugborikoko Police Station is today wearing a new look, as Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. renovated, refurbished and furnished it.
Also, knowing the important role the media play in security, through the prompt and correct reportage of happenings, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd., not too long ago, built and furnished the Correspondents` Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Warri.
On the occasion of the commissioning of the Correspondents` Chapel, the Executive Director (Operations) of Tantita Security Serivices Nigeria Ltd,, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, made the point that, apart from securing oil and gas facilities, Tantita also has a duty to inform and educate the people about its activities, and seek the security service support of everyone in the tasks of security critical assets of the federal government.
It is on record that High Chief Government Ekpomulpolo has not attended any public function in the past 10 years, so it was a “feat” that the governor was able to get him to come out. Many people know that High Chief Government Ekpomulpolo is the brain behind Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd., but know little about him.
The question is “Who is Tompolo?”
High Chief Government Ekpomulpolo, also known as Tompolo, is a Niger Delta advocate, a businessman, and peace builder. He has a calm mien, not known for talking too much, but he is very articulate. Tompolo came into limelight, when, some years ago, himself and some other Niger Delta agitators like Ateke Tom, Asari Dokubo, Boyloaf, and others, led a crusade for a better deal for the people of the region, considering the fact that the bulk of the revenue of the federation are derived from the region.
Their method, though unconventional, caught the attention of the federal government, as the government was losing a lot of revenue. In the year 2009, the late President Umaru Yar Adua granted full amnesty to all the Niger Delta agitators, on the condition that they lay down their arms. Tompolo embraced the amnesty.
Amnesty is a general pardon where individuals are encouraged to turn over illegal items to the authorities, on the understanding that they will not be prosecuted. Amnesty extinguishes any perceived wrong or offence. Upon accepting the amnesty, High Chief Government Ekpomulpolo settled down to a life of business with the registration of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. as an oil service and security company. Tompolo is an embodiment of humility.
At present, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. has a contract to secure and protect oil and gas installations, pipelines, and also to bring an end the bunkering of petroleum products. Since Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. started providing security services to these critical installations, there has been a marked reduction in the vandalisation of oil and gas installations, and illegal bunkering has reduced remarkably.
Several wells and associated facilities that were shut down because of incessant theft of crude oil and vandalization have been reopened. According to reports from the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), daily production of crude that fell to about 800,000bpd during the time of the crisis, has gone up to about 1.8bpd.
Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. has been very effective in its activities, as it is on record that, on several occasions, its staff have accosted and arrested many vehicles and trucks with stolen crude oil. The role of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. has been acknowledged by the Nigerian military, the NSCDS, NUPRC, etc. What this translates to is that Nigeria is gradually moving towards meeting up with her OPEC quota.
The story of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. cannot be complete without mentioning the man behind the driving wheels. Whereas Tompolo can be referred to as “the big masquerade”, the man behind all the successes so far recorded by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. is Chief Ketsin Pondi, a gentleman par excellence, a philanthropist, a listener, and an articulate businessman.
Soft spoken, and not known for long speeches, Chief Kestin Pondi is a go-getter by all standards. Despite his busy schedules, he is able to attend to social functions, receive people with diverse complaints, and he is always open to suggestions.
Recently, the Hon. Minister of State of Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobri, stated that Nigeria was going to push OPEC for an increase in the country’s oil quota to two million barrels per day (2,000,000mb/d). He premised his demands on the sustained recovery in production, improved regulatory environment, and fresh inflow of investment into the oil and gas sector.
The above situation cannot be achieved if there is no security or guarantee of safety of investment, and Tantita Security Services Ltd. is at the forefront of ensuring security in the oil and gas sector of the economy.
Tompolo and Tantita Security Services Ltd. have been advocates for a country where everyone is fairly treated and committed to the security of federal government facilities in the Niger Delta region. The donation of #10,000,000,000 (ten billion naira) to the Delta State Security Trust Fund should be seen as his contribution to the enhancing of the security of the region.
Raymos Guanah, Esq. is an Abuja-based Legal Practitioner.
