Some of the participants at the training.
Nwokoro Peter, Delta
In a significant move aimed at deepening Nigeria’s security capacity in the oil and gas sector, former militant leader and security entrepreneur, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, (Tompolo) has been praised for spearheading the training of 100 operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
The ongoing three-day intensive training, held in Effurun, Delta State, is a collaborative effort between TSSNL and Top Private Security Services Nigeria Limited.
The initiative is focused on effective security coordination, human rights compliance, and enhancing tactical responses to the rising threats to Nigeria’s critical national assets—particularly oil pipelines and installations.
Speaking during the training, the Human Resource Officer of Top Private Security Services, Uchechukwu Emmanuel Iwundu, described the program as “timely and essential,” commending Tompolo for his foresight and leadership in organizing such a capacity-building effort.
“This training is not just about uniforms and field deployment; it’s about preparing minds to work with discipline and in line with the law.”
Iwundu said. “Our personnel need both technical and ethical tools to face the security realities of today. And this partnership between two major security outfits offers a new standard in coordinated response.”
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Iwundu urged participants to internalize and apply the knowledge gained, adding that security officers must not use their positions to infringe on the rights of citizens.
“We are all bound by the Constitution. Security must be delivered within the law, with humanity and discipline,” he said.
Echoing the same message, Brigadier General Efe Dafioghor (rtd), General Manager, Security/Military Liaison at Tantita, emphasized that NSCDC and Tantita officers share the same duty to safeguard the country’s oil infrastructure from sabotage, theft, and environmental degradation.
“The days of working in silos are over. This training is building a bridge between two critical security partners. It is not just about responding to threats, but doing so with efficiency, lawful conduct, and shared intelligence,” Dafioghor explained.
He noted that the training also focuses on strengthening inter-agency trust and promoting a unified front in handling complex field operations. “Whether it’s in the creeks or on major installations, our personnel must speak the same operational language,” he added.
A major highlight of the training was the legal component presented by the TSSNL Legal Department, which laid bare the potential risks and liabilities security operatives face if they breach fundamental rights or ignore due process.
In the past year alone, the department disclosed, Tantita has been involved in nearly 50 court cases tied to allegations of human rights violations, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and destruction of private property. These incidents, the department said, reflect a need for deeper legal awareness among field operatives.
“We are not above the law,” a legal officer stated. “Security work comes with power but it also comes with responsibility. Misconduct, whether through excessive force or poor reporting, not only puts the individual at risk but undermines the legitimacy of the entire operation.”
The legal team took participants through the Nigeria Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015), NSCDC Amendment Act (2007), and Police Act (2020), highlighting best practices in suspects’ handling, detention, search and seizure, evidence collection, and surveillance ethics.
Navy Commander J. Cheilo, who also spoke at the training, emphasized the need for professionalism and vigilance during oil asset surveillance. He described field operations as complex and often hazardous, urging personnel to remain disciplined and always follow proper reporting channels.
“One major challenge in surveillance is misinformation or misreporting. That alone can ruin a mission,” Cheilo warned. “You must be meticulous in how you gather intelligence whether it’s through pressure sensors, drones, or manual patrols and know who to report to, and how.”
Participants were reminded that oil assets belong to various stakeholders government, private firms, and communities and must be protected lawfully and responsibly. The training stressed the importance of community engagement, accurate documentation, and respect for legal rights at all times.
The legal department further outlined specific rights security operatives must uphold during operations, including the right to life, dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, privacy, and protection from discrimination. It also warned against arbitrary detention, destruction of property, denial of legal representation, and unlawful search and seizure.
Operatives were also equipped with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) guide, detailing what not to do such as beating suspects, trespassing on private property without justification, and failure to hand over arrested individuals to the appropriate authorities.
“The public must see us not as threats, but as protectors,” one facilitator noted. “That only happens when we work with integrity and within the boundaries of the law.”
As the training continues, stakeholders say this joint initiative is a model that should be replicated nationwide. In a region plagued by oil theft and underdevelopment, it offers a hopeful sign that coordinated security with human rights at its core is possible.
With rising calls for better protection of Nigeria’s oil wealth and a public increasingly wary of abuse by security operatives, Tompolo’s initiative sends a clear message: that professionalism, legality, and inter-agency collaboration are the future of security in the Niger Delta and across Nigeria.
