Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has criticized the award of pipeline surveillance contract to a company led by former militant leader Government Ekpemepulo aka Tompolo.

Falana faulted the award during Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday, describing it as a “colossal embarrassment” to security agencies in the country.

“In the first place, the President has demonstrably lost confidence in the competence of the military hence a contract has been awarded to a non-state actor, Mr Government aka Tompolo who is said to be making these discoveries now.

Falana said the contract awarded to Tompolo is a loss of confidence on all the service chiefs who should have resigned.

“Ordinarily, the service chiefs should simply have resigned that Mr President you have lost confidence in us,” he said.

In August, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, justified the government’s decision to award a multi-billion naira pipelines surveillance contract to Tantita Security Services led by Tompolo.

Recall, recently, Tompolo’s firm made startling revelations on crude oil theft in the Niger Delta area which led to a swift destruction of a vessel used for oil bunkering, which however elicited controversies. (READ HERE)

Reacting to it, Falana flayed the CDS, saying only the Federal High Court is empowered to order the interim or final forfeiture of any vessel that was used for conveying stolen crude oil.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who said security agencies committed arson and acted in contrary to section 111 of the Armed Forces Act which prohibits the setting ablaze of a vessel, demanded the sacking of the CDS.

Falana maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari must ensure that all those who are indicted in the act of oil theft are fired, named and shamed noting that it cannot continue to be business as usual.

He blamed the malady on “systematic collapse” and connivance of military and political leaders alongside oil companies lifting Nigeria’s oil illegally to ports in the United States.