Officials object to Niger Delta militant Tompolo's ship still training naval cadets

GOVERNMENT officials have expressed opposition to the ongoing practise of using a Royal Norwegian military vessel owned by former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo to train naval cadets.

 

Last year, Tompolo bought seven decommissioned Norwegian battleships to be used to patrol Nigeria's coastal creeks and combat oil theft.   This was after President Goodluck Jonathan awarded him the contract to police the coastal waters and creeks of the Niger Delta through his company Global West Vessel Service, a private contractor hired by the Nigerian Maritime Safety Agency (Nimasa) to provide security.

 

Although President Muhammadu Buhari has since cancelled the contract and handed the job of securing Nigeria's waterways back to the navy, Global West Specialist Vessel still trains Nigerian cadets undergoing seafaring training abroad. Nimasa officials are opposed to the use of Tompolo's vessel, a 135 bunk military war ship with two cinema halls, two lecture halls, two hospitals and two mess rooms, for the purpose.

 

They now want to invite companies to bid for the supply of training for Nigerian Navy cadets. Already, Nigerian Navy officers have requisitioned the vessel and are refusing to release it.

 

Acting Nimasa director-general Haruna Baba Jauro, however, denied the agency has ordered for another training vessel. it is not yet clear if Nimasa will pourchase the vessel from Tompolo.