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Niger Delta: Militant Group Decry Attack On Olu Of Warri Over Tompolo’s Pipeline Renewal Deal
Ex-militant leaders from the Six states of the Niger Delta region has warned a Civil Rights Activist, Comrade Austin Ozobo and others involved in open altercations over the calls for the renewal of the $1.3 billion pipeline surveillance contracts awarded to foremost Former Militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo to desist from dragging the name and seat of Olu of Warri,Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, into the controversy.
According to the Former Militant leaders, under the auspices of Anti Pipeline Vandalization and Crude Oil Theft Taskforce Group and the Coalition of Ex- Militant Leaders Forum of Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State, warned one Mr Austin Ozobo to immediately cease and desist from hurling allege abuse and attacks on His Imperial Majesty, the Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR.
The Coalition of the Ex-Militant groups, led by the National Coordinator of the group, Gen, Osama and the Coalition of Ijaw and Itsekiri Ex Militant Leaders Forum jointly signed by the two ex- Militant Leaders, Gen. Oritsegbubemi also known as Action Papa, said the open disrespect of the throne of His Imperial Majesty, the Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR is an affront, disrespectful, disheartening, insultive and provocative.
The groups also decried the open disrespect and derogatory to the Imperial Majesty, the Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, And on the foregoing urge Mr Ozobo to tender an open apology to the highly respected Olu Of Warri Kingdom, who is one of the most respected Federal Monarch’s in the Niger Delta who is a member of Council Of Nigeria Traditional Rulers (NTRC) which is the Apex Council of all Traditional Rulers in the country”
According to them, “Ozobo was playing a script that is already conceived by his paymasters, whose payroll he belongs to, and advise that he discontinue from such attack to the Olu Of Warri Kingdom, because they are on his trail to track him.”.
“we are really saddened by the boldness of Mr Austin Ozobo who hails from Ayakoromo community under Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State that is not a host to any of the oil facilities in Niger Delta, neither produce a single drop of Oil, either a host to any pipeline in the Niger Delta to put out such demean disheartening, disgusting and unprintable insultive words to drag the personality of the revered Olu Of Warri Kingdom, who is a peaceful initiator, major unifier of different ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta.
“A job provider, vanguard of peace building and development, and a foresighted monarch that is highly respected before the international communities with all sense of humility and humour to be described as a non stakeholder in the Niger Delta region and went as far as calling for the Revocation of the Olu Of Warri portion of the pipeline surveillance contract Job being operated by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited PINL, Company in the region.
“It is not surprised to us for Ozobo who is a jobless fellow that is roaming about in Warri environs searching for daily survival, we know very well that Mr Ozobo will always do anything possible to protect his cup of tea, as far as it pleases his paymasters no matter who’s ox is gored, therefore we are not surprised at these outbost, but it is unfortunate and uncalled for, for such disheartening diminishing, disrespectful and provocative comments, for him to carelessly put out a blackmailing insultive and derogatory Statement, which he had the guts to call for the Revocation of the Olu Of Warri portion of the pipeline surveillance contract Job being operated by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and referred the Olu Of Warri Kingdom to a non-stakeholder in the Niger Delta that not supposed to benefit from the pipeline surveillance contract in the region.
“But the ex militant leaders adviced him to refrain from using such unwarranted unreasonable poor senseless insightful carless and demean comments not to be channeled to the revered Olu Of Warri Kingdom any longer in other to do him a good, if not he will be smoked out and pay dearly for such irritating comments, online and social media space henceforth.”
The Militant group want to know, what really prompt Mr Austin Ozobo for making such careless comments and unfounded facts about His Imperial Majesty on social media? That the Olu is not a stakeholder in the Niger Delta as such he is not supposed to benefit in the pipeline surveillance contract job in the region? The painful aspect of it all is that, Mr Ozobo also went far as to alleged that it was Tompolo who single handedly fought hard to secure these multi-million dollar pipeline surveillance contract job.”
” And that the Olu is just a beneficiary to it, as such he is calling for the Revocation of the Olu Of Warri portion of the pipeline surveillance contract. This statement is condemnable, highly insultive, discriminative and disrespectful to the Itsekiri Nation as one of the highest crude oil producing Ethnic tribes in the Niger Delta, and to the Olu’s personality and the throne.”
“And the fellow who call himself an activist and whose Community does not have a single drop of crude oil not to talk of host to any oil facilities and pipeline Infrastructure in the Niger Delta, now have the guts, the temerity and the audacity to call for the revocation of the portion of the pipeline surveillance contract that is being by the Olu Of Warri.”
“And also referred the Olu Of Warri to some set of misguided elements in the region who take pride in threatening their fellow ethnic tribes with oppressive methods to always wanting to hijack everything to themselves for every given opportunity in the region.”
“These is an abomination and a sacrilege before us, and he will not go scott free for those insultive derogatory Statements.If you Ozobo refuses to discontinue and retrace your footsteps from such act, we will be left with no option than to declare you wanted and you will be used as escape goat, a word is enough for the wise.”
The group clarified that, “It is good we should use this opportunity to educate the general public, including Ozobo who has played the script of his paymaster and for reference point.
“We want the presidency, Nigerians and Niger Deltans to know that, the revered Imperial Majesty OGIAME ATUWATSE III (CFR) the Olu Of Warri Kingdom is the host to the largest bulk of Oil and Gas facilities in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State that is host to Chevron Nigeria Limited and other major oil companies, and host to the Trans Escravos Warri Kaduna NNPC major delivery pipeline, the same time, the Olu Of Warri is host to most of the NNPC/NPDC/Shell Nigeria Limited and Chevron Nigeria Limited Oil facilities under Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State”.
“The same thing applicable to Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, the Olu Of Warri is also host to a major part in the OML30 Trans Forcados Pipeline (TFP) that is 48 inch line that cut across over 1,11 communities that is being operated by Shell/NNPC/Heritage Company from the Forcados terminal.”
“It is also imperative to point out that the Itsekiri tribe in which the Olu Of Warri is their revered monarch is the largest crude oil producing tribe in Delta State and also the Olu Of Warri contribute a large portion of the over 1.2 to 1.6 million barrels of crude oil daily production output to the Federation that is being shared as revenue to the 36 States and Fct with the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. ”
“Lastly, Mr Austin Ozobo should wake up from slumber and ignorance about the Tompolo pipeline surveillance contract job that is being operated by Tantita Security Company. The total amount of $370,807,173.00 annually and not N4 billion that is falsely spread in the public domain to deceive and blind fold timid people like Ozobo who are naysayers that is under their payroll with peanuts.”
“Mr Ozobo and the general public should know that, the above Trans Niger Pipeline (TFP) surveillance contract was awarded to the tune of over ($1. 3billion dollar) which is over N1.trillion naira, and it was shared into three portion, Eastern corridor, Western corridor and Central corridor, and the Western corridor was awarded to Tompolo’s Tantita Security Company at the total sum of $370,807,173.00, in dollars therefore Mr Austin Ozobo and his fellow disgruntled and misguided elements who are naysayers in the region should wake up from slumber and open their eyes, and never again appoint accusing fingers to the Olu Of Warri henceforth’’ the Militant group warned.
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We’ve Known Each Other Since the 90s; I’m Qualified to Call Him a Scumbag – El-Rufai
Fabian
Former Kaduna State Governor and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has weighed in on the Senate’s decision to reject the inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of election results in the proposed electoral reforms.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, El-Rufai was asked to react to reports that some members of his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including Peter Obi, staged a protest at the National Assembly on Monday over the issue. In his response, he stressed that electoral reforms must be approached transparently and without undue external influence.
El-Rufai expressed confidence that the Senate’s electoral committee would eventually recommend the reinstatement of the provision for real-time electronic transmission of results.
He noted that many senators are experienced public officials who have previously served as governors, ministers, and legislators, and are genuinely committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy. However, he argued that their efforts are being overshadowed by the actions of the Senate leadership, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
According to El-Rufai, the controversy should not be blamed on the Senate as an institution but on its leadership. He alleged that the presiding officer was acting under external pressure and not in line with the collective will of the majority of senators.
He further predicted that when the Senate reconvenes, lawmakers would be forced to unite, resist such pressure from the leadership, and ensure that the proposed reforms are not undermined.
In a strongly worded remark directed at Akpabio, El-Rufai said:
“I do not consider him distinguished. We have known each other since the 90s. He knows how far we’ve been through, and I think I am qualified to call him a scumbag—and he knows why.”
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Electronic Transmission: This Is Just a Warning Protest, We’ll Wait Till Tomorrow – Isaac Fayose
Fabian Apechihin
Businessman and activist Isaac Fayose has described Monday’s protest at the National Assembly complex as only a warning, insisting that more action may follow depending on the outcome of lawmakers’ deliberations.
A cross-section of Nigerians on Monday morning converged on the National Assembly to demand that electronic transmission of election results be made compulsory in Nigeria’s electoral laws.
Although the Senate has issued several clarifications amid reports that it rejected electronic transmission of results, protesters maintained that lawmakers must go further by explicitly inserting the phrase “real-time electronic transmission” into the proposed legislation.
In response to the public outcry, the Senate announced on Sunday that it would hold an emergency plenary session on Tuesday to address the concerns.
Speaking to journalists during the protest, Fayose said the decision taken at the emergency sitting would determine whether the demonstrations would continue.
“We all know what happens in a collation room,” he said. “A collation room is where you soak garri with water at night and by morning it has swollen and turned into eba.
“For Nigerians to be satisfied, what we need is electronic transmission of results. They are already trying to deny it. Let’s wait till tomorrow. This protest is just a warning.”
Fayose also questioned the logic of abandoning electronic transmission after huge investments had been made.
“Something we spent close to a trillion naira to achieve, you now want to throw it away? That’s like taking our money and dumping it in the gutter. It cannot happen,” he added.
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US Judge Issues Final Ultimatum as FBI, DEA Delay Release of Tinubu Records
Fabian Apechihin
A United States federal judge, Beryl A. Howell, has sharply criticised the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) over what she described as deliberate delays in releasing records related to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
The documents are being sought through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed in 2022 by transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan, with backing from investigative journalist David Hundeyin. The records are expected to provide details on a narcotics-related case from the early 1990s that led to Tinubu forfeiting $460,000 to the U.S. government—allegations he has consistently denied.
In a ruling delivered on February 3, Judge Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rebuked both agencies for repeatedly missing court-ordered deadlines, noting that the case has dragged on for more than three years without substantial progress.
She subsequently imposed new deadlines, warning that further delays would no longer be tolerated.
Greenspan, the founder of transparency platform Plainsite, filed the FOIA request in June 2022. In 2023, the FBI announced it would release approximately 2,500 pages of Tinubu-related records in monthly batches of 500 pages. However, the process stalled after Tinubu opposed the disclosure, requesting a delay pending the outcome of a Nigerian Supreme Court case challenging his election victory. He argued at the time that releasing the records would “adversely affect” him.
Although Judge Howell approved the temporary pause and Tinubu’s election was later upheld, the FBI and DEA continued to seek extensions, further slowing the release of records linked to longstanding allegations of involvement in cocaine trafficking.
Court filings show that the FBI was expected to submit an updated status report in May 2025, but delayed until January 2026, when it sought yet another extension to February—prompting sharp criticism from the court.
“Defendant FBI has produced no records, despite initially anticipating completion of searches by August 1, 2025,” Howell stated, adding that deadlines had been repeatedly shifted with “minimal explanation.”
She further noted that, like the DEA, the FBI had failed to provide a credible timeline for completing the processing and release of the requested documents.
Judge Howell also dismissed the DEA’s justification for withholding documents for more than six months under the guise of inter-agency consultations.
“Defendant DEA has produced some documents … but has repeated the same explanation for six months and four joint status reports concerning twelve remaining pages not yet released,” she said.
The court ordered the DEA to provide Greenspan with a Vaughn index detailing the legal basis for redacting 50 pages and withholding 172 pages of the records. The agency was also directed to submit sworn affidavits explaining, page by page, when the remaining documents were sent for consultation, expected review timelines, and steps taken to expedite the process.
Similarly, the FBI was ordered to file sworn statements accounting for its repeated failure to meet court deadlines and to begin releasing all non-exempt Tinubu-related records. The bureau was instructed to deliver an initial batch within two weeks of January 30, 2026, submit a detailed schedule for releasing the second batch of 500 pages by March 13, and complete full disclosure by June 1, 2026.
Judge Howell further ordered both agencies to file joint status reports every 14 days, starting February 27, until all responsive records have been processed and released.
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