Arewa Youth Alliance for Progress and Development (AYAPD), has demanded the investigation of alleged crimes against humanity and other human rights violations by Chief Oweizidei Thomas Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo and his Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited in the Niger Delta of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
They made the call at a press conference held in Kaduna on Monday February 10, 2025.
Reading the text of the briefing, AYAPD’s Convener, Ambassador Umar Babayaro said that, “consequent upon the above stated facts, we hereby, call on all requisite government and non-government organs including international organisations to look into these issues before they degenerate.
“We seek these reliefs hence: A thorough investigation into the activities of the Tantita Security Services Limited be carried out as it relates to administration criminal justice and protection of human rights.
“Steps be taken to secure the lives and properties of Youths and Nigerians living in the Niger Delta Region of the Federation of Nigeria,” the group demanded.
They said that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has from the word ‘go’, shown promised of Renewed Hope.
“This hope is not centered on economic and infrastructural development alone, but also on human capital development; and protection of human rights is an integral part of this development.
“We believe as a civil society organisation that for the fortunes of Nigeria to move progressively the later part of this defined development must be protected and harnessed.
“This putsch forms the hallmark of today’s briefing. The Arewa Youth Alliance for Progress and Development is an Organisation formed to protect the interest of youths from the Northern extraction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Organisation also advocates for progress and development across the length and breathe of the Federation of Nigeria. Recently, several complaints bordering on human rights violations and abuse in the Niger Delta region has reached us.
“These violations are coming in form of unlawful detentions and arrests by the Tantita Security Services Limited contracted by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to secure
pipelines in that region. Is has come to our attention that the Tantita Security Services Limited now arrest innocent Nigerians at will, detain and torture them for as long as they wish.
“Victims arrested by the Tantita Security Services Limited are kept in detention and given inhumane treatments without being charged to any court of law as prescribed by the Constitution.“
“Prominent are cases of Moses Richard from Itshekiri, Peter and Boma Samuel are all victims of these human rights infringements. According to videos trending on social media, these youths were kidnapped, beaten and detained for several weeks.
“Others, Jolomi Abechukwu from Tisin Community who according to him was arrested alongside his friend Bade and taken into captivity in Oporoza, where the alleged camp and illegal detention facilities of the Tantita security are located.
“They were arrested on 2nd of December, 2024 and released in January, 2025. As law abiding youths of Nigeria, we do not want to believe that the pipeline surveillance contract, gives impetus to the security company to arrogate arrest and detention powers reserved only for the security apparatchik of Nigeria,” they explained.
The group said that these unlawful arrests violate the express provisions of chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the express provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
“We are drawing the attention of the federal government to this anomaly with call on international organisations to help protect the rights of Nigerian youths spread across Nigeria because if this situation is not investigated and arrested, Youths living in the Niger Delta region will continue to suffer the inhumane and unconstitutional treatment meted out by the Tantita Security Services Limited,” they pointed our.
According to them, they do not want to believe that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration which is fast building a reputation for due process, is aware of these heinous crimes against humanity.
“While we continue to trust that the government and all relevant organisations will take the necessary steps to addressing this matter fairly and uphold the integrity and supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, kindly accept our warm regards,” they submitted.