The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 17 suspected sea pirates responsible for violent attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta.
The suspects were reportedly involved in the killing of Assistant Superintendent of NSCDC, Umar Aliyu, and the theft of a speedboat belonging to Tantita Security Services.
The NSCDC spokesman, CSC Afolabi Babawale, said the arrests, which happened on March 6 in Tonogbe, Ekeremo Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, were carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’S SIS) in synergy with sister security agencies.
The CG-SIS Commandant, AS Dandaura, revealed that the suspects formed a high-profile syndicate of sea pirates who have been orchestrating deadly assaults in the region.
Recounting the events of January 21, 2025, Dandaura detailed how heavily armed vandals and pirates attacked the Joint Task Force base of the NSCDC and Tantita Security Services at Torugbene II in Ekeremo.
“Earlier in January 21st, 2025, there was an attack against the Joint Task Force combining operatives of the NSCDC and Tantita Security Services at their base in the Torugbene II unit at Ekeremo LGA in Bayelsa State by suspected vandals and sea pirates who were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons.”
“Upon arrival at the base, they shot sporadically at the officers and innocent civilians, which led to the killing of ASC Umar Aliyu; his Ak 47 official Riffle was carted away; Ebikame Seimeneyefa of Tantita Security was shot; and Tantita Speed Boat was also hijacked and stolen,” he stated.
Dandaura said following the attack, an intensive undercover and investigative operation was carried out in synergy with the sisters’ security agencies and Tantita, which led to the successful tracking and arrest of the 17 suspects.
The group, led by the notorious criminal Ziakede Amatu from the Norgbene community in Bayelsa State, had been terrorising communities and neighbouring states.
“We mounted a round-the-clock and relentless onslaught against the suspects in collaboration with sister security agencies and the Tantita Security and succeeded in smashing the 17 deadly Sea pirates led by a notorious vandal, kidnapper and armed robber called Ziakede Amatu, who hails from the Norgbene community in Ekeremo, Bayelsa State and has been terrorising the community and all neighbouring states,” Amatu said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate was allegedly behind the attack on the residence of the Minister of Petroleum, Hon. Lokpobiri Heineken, on January 1, 2025. The group’s kingpin, Amatu, also confessed to previous involvement in illegal petroleum refining in Abonima, Rivers State, in 2023.
In a bid to disguise their activities and discredit Tantita Security Services, Amatu and his group allegedly procured Tantita uniforms and launched attacks under a false identity.
They allegedly planned to blackmail Tantita’s Chairman, Ekpemupolo Owiezide Government, also known as Tompolo, after their failed attempts to secure surveillance contracts.
Quoting Dandaura, “while engaging in illegal refining of petroleum products in 2023 at Abonima Rivers State, he (the kingpin, Amatu) worked under another notorious suspect called “Emergency” (original name unknown); they had 7 Ak 47, which was kept safe in the forest but after refining the products one day the suspect Emergency left suddenly and never returned.
“Ziakede Amatu later migrated from Rivers to Bayelsa State and hinted to some Elders in his community about the seven [7] Ak 47 Riffles, in which he was advised to withdraw them from the hideout and use them to protect the community.
“The suspect, Ziakede, after a failed attempt to join the Tantita Security Services, procured Tantita Security Services uniforms to use in his renewed hostility attack on oil installations in order to divert attention, disguise and destroy the good work of Tantita Security while carrying out their dastardly act.
“Further confession revealed that the suspects embarked on this mischievous blackmail against the Tantita Security Chairman, Ekpemupolo Owiezide Government, aka Tompolo, since they could not infiltrate and get some surveillance contracts sublet to them; hence the move to vandalise oil and gas installations, and this culminated in the attack on NSCDC and Tantita Operatives, leading to the killing of the late officer.”
Suspects arrested during the operation were: Ziakede Amatu, Aaron Ekogbene, Ebimene Adeseotu, Emmanuel Police, Ken David, Timiprey Ekogbene, Isaac Pius, Guy Tigan Victor, Timothy Ebibakote, Odebor Abade Joseph, Zikena Kingsley, Kelly Babylon, Dide Tuboukebuleye, ThankGod Ezu, Godwin Aseyapwayei, and Timis Tokoni.
Recovered exhibits include one AK-47 rifle, two empty AK-47 magazines, charms, fifteen Tantita Security uniforms, fifteen security T-shirts, and fifteen pairs of black boots.
