Olorogun Victor Okumagba Writes Open Letter to Urhobo Leaders in Defense of Tantita Security Services — Urges Them to Be Guided by Facts, Not Sentiment
By Wilson Macaulay
WARRI
A prominent Urhobo son and respected Niger Delta voice, Olorogun Victor Okumagba, the ldjede of Okere Urhobo Warri kingdom has written a strongly-worded open letter to Urhobo leaders, cautioning against what he described as “misguided attacks” on Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), a firm playing a pivotal role in Nigeria’s fight against oil theft.
In the open letter made available to the press, Olorogun Victor Okumagba expressed disappointment over calls made by some Urhobo leaders particularly Urhobo Progress Union ( UPU ) recent call for the removal of Tantita from Urhobo territories, describing such calls as “a departure from reason, history, and the collective interest of the Niger Delta.”
> “Let us be reminded,” he wrote, “that the Urhobos were present when the late Capt. Hosa Okunbo from Benin, Edo State, held this same contract for over eight years—covering Urhobo lands. During that period, pipeline vandalism and environmental destruction were at their worst, and Nigeria’s crude oil production fell to 650,000 barrels per day. Yet, there was no protest from Urhobo leaders.”
Olorogun Victor Okumagba
stressed that since Tantita, led by Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), took over the surveillance contract, Nigeria has witnessed unprecedented results — oil theft has drastically reduced, crude oil production has rebounded to over 1.8 million barrels per day, and the environment in host communities is being restored.
He continued: “How can we now turn around to question the competence and credibility of a company that has done what others failed to do for nearly a decade? This is not about ethnicity — this is about performance, national interest, and the survival of our region’s economy.”
He also pointed out the double standards being applied by some leaders saying:
“After the death of Capt. Hosa, his son-in-law, the current Olu of Warri, still retains larger surveillance acreages than Tantita, yet there’s no protest against that. Why then are some people sponsoring protests against Tantita’s smaller, more effective operations?”
Calling for wisdom, unity, and strategic thinking among Urhobo leaders, Olorogun Victor Okumagba urged the Urhobo Leaders to resist external influences , political distractions, and instead protect initiatives that genuinely serve the Urhobo nation and Niger Delta’s collective good.
Having appreciated the management of Tantita Security Services for the enormous task undertaken and the profound achievements recorded so far, Olorogun Victor Okumagba urged the company ” Tantita ” to engage more Urhobo youths in its operations in Urhobo land to promote inclusivity and deepen local participation.
He emphasized that the security and economic future of the Niger Delta relies heavily on cooperation among all ethnic nationalities and stakeholders, adding that increased youth engagement would foster a greater sense of ownership and responsibility in protecting national assets.
> “We must not allow narrow interests or ethnic rivalry to derail what is clearly a national success story. Tantita is not the enemy. Oil theft is. Let’s choose facts over sentiment. Let’s stand with results,” he concluded.
