A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa on Monday accused Chief Bibopere Ajube of mobilising Nigerian Army personnel to invade the office of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited in Ondo State and destroying valuable properties and items belonging to the private security outfit.
A Niger Delta leader, Chief Bibopere Ajube, has denied the allegation that he invaded the office of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited in Ondo State.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa on Monday accused Chief Bibopere Ajube of mobilising Nigerian Army personnel to invade the office of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited in Ondo State and destroying valuable properties and items belonging to the private security outfit.
The lawyer alleged that Ajube threatened to kill the commander of Tantita Security Firm, Chief Idowu Asonja, if he refused to evacuate his team from the state.
Tantita Security Services belongs to a former militant, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Tantita Security Services has a subsisting contract with the Nigerian Government to protect oil pipelines and prevent incidences of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
According to Adegboruwa’s statement, Chief Bibopere Ajube intends to wipe out the presence of Tantita Security Firm from Ondo State.
The lawyer alleged that Ajube led a team of soldiers and other armed men on February 9, 2024, to destroy the security outfit’s facilities. He said they also threatened to kill the commander, Chief Idowu Asonja if his wish did not come to reality soon.
However, in a letter signed by Olusola Oke, Esq., dated February 13, 2024, Ajube denied all the allegations made against him by Asonja and his Tantita team.
Ajube explained that it was Asonja who called him and hurled insults and abuses at him. According to him, Asonja also threatened him and said so many unprintable things to him.
According to the letter, Ajube asserted that at the appropriate time, all records and videos in his possession would be made available to the security agencies and the general public.
The letter Ajube’s lawyers partly read, "We are Solicitors to Senior High Chief Bipopere Ajube, the Beleukoriwei (Pathfinder) of Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom, upon whose instructions we respond to a viral publication of February 12, 2024, captioned: "Niger Delta Leader, Ajube Accused of Invading Office of Tompolo's Security Firm in Ondo, Destroying Vehicles, Others, Threatening to kill Commander Asonja.
"The publication, which was credited to a Learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, contained some damning and damaging accusations. Given the nature of the allegations, our Client deems it fit to make specific responses to some of the issues raised in the said publication.
"In the course of our responses, however, we shall be prevailing on the Learned Silk and his Clients to provide more information to the public so that objective, dispassionate and sincere Nigerians will be able to know who the real culprit is.
"For example, in one of the online platforms, it was stated that, "The allegation was made by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa in a statement made available to SaharaReporters on Monday morning." Underlining supplied.
"Our Response: The above-quoted portion of the publication is a clear betrayal of the real reason for making the "Statement available to SaharaReporters on Monday morning". It was done for the purpose of an avoidable cheap publicity for a certain Chief Idowu Asonja and his Tantita sponsors! Nothing more.
"We venture to ask: Given the apparently loud criminal allegations made, was it not more appropriate to make those complaints, if truly genuine, to the Security Agencies, the Government or the Court of Law? Since when did SaharaReporters become, as it were, a Security outfit for the apprehension and prosecution of criminals? Why make such accusations on the pages of newspapers without prior investigation by the Security Agencies?
"It was also alleged that Senior High Chief Bibopere Ajube, our Client, "...threatened to kill the Commander of Tantita Security Firm, Chief Idowu Asonja, if he refused to evacuate his team from Ondo State."
"Our Response: Our Client firmly and unequivocally denies this. Consequently, we humbly enjoin the authors to provide the Public and the Security Agencies with the how, where, when and the means by which the alleged threat was made. This is the least the discerning Nigerian Public, the Security Agencies and the Government deserve. Methinks it is too cheap to make an allegation of this magnitude without providing the details.
"On the statements that, "Tantita Security Services belongs to a former militant, Government known as Tompolo. Tantita Security Services has a subsisting contract with the Nigerian Government to protect oil pipelines and prevent incidences of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region...Chief Bibopere Ajube intends to wipe out the presence of Tantita Security Firm from Ondo State... In recent times, there have been cases of mindless attacks upon and invasion of the structures of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited in Ondo State..."Underlining supplied.
"Our responses: Our Client hopes the proverbial chameleon now has an identifiable and settled colour. Without any doubt, protecting oil pipelines in the Niger Delta is commendable. Our Client however hopes that the publication was not meant to ensure that the subsisting contract remains subsisting!
"Besides, since it was alleged that our Client intends to wipe out the presence of Tantita Security Firm. May we venture to ask: Who discovered the intention since, even the devil, does not know the heart of a man? How then can one man seek to destroy the name of another just on the basis of an unproven assumption or pure hallucination?
"Furthermore, Our Client is of the humble but firm view that it should be a source of concern to the Security Agencies and the Government if a Company, engaged to secure pipelines, now goes to the pages of newspapers to complain of not being secured. This, at best, is an admission of incompetence on the part of that Company. Or, was the false alarm raised to ensure that the subsisting contract indeed remains subsisting?
"Furthermore, where was the Almighty "Commander" when those alleged cases of mindless attacks occurred? To which of the formal Security Agencies were those cases of mindless attacks reported and when? What also were their findings? The public deserves to know.
"On the statement that, 'Tantita Security is being coordinated in Ondo State (sic) Senior High Chief Idowu Asonja, who has gallantly resisted all overtures to compromise the lofty ideals that Tantita Security has pursued over the years, chief Asonja has however had running battle with some persons who are opposed to the good efforts of Tantita Security which has led to savage attacks upon him and his team...'
"Our response: As stated above, the whole essence of making the statement available to the Press without showing an equal measure of zeal to instigate the force of law against the imaginary law breakers is to ensure that the subsisting contract remains subsisting even at the expense of the goodwill of others.
"If indeed the publication was intended to 'drag out some persons', wouldn't it have been more apposite if the names of those who allegedly made overtures to comprise the ideals (whatever that means) of Tantita were clearly mentioned? What specific overtures were made? Where and when were the overtures made? Given the seriousness of the allegations, it is our take that speaking in parables or with tongues in check will not be enough. Let the whole world know who did what so that the Government and the people will know who to hold responsible and why. A flamboyant news publication of unsubstantiated criminal allegations without more will not be enough, Will it?
"In the publication under reference, it was also stated that, "Specifically on (sic) the night of February 9, 2024, or thereabouts, Chief Ajube popularly known as shoot at sight was reported to have led armed soldiers and his team to the office of Tantita Security located in Agadagba, ransacked it and destroyed all items of value, threatening to wipe out Tantita Security in Ondo State." Underlining supplied.
"Our response: it is apparent that whoever "reported" did not know the exact date the alleged/reported ransacking was done! Our Client however unequivocally denies all your allegations in the above-quoted portion as he had done to all the others before that.
"Besides, it was further stated that, "To this end, we call on all security agencies to investigate this disturbing development and call chief Bilbor (sic) Ajube to order so that the peace currently enjoyed in Ondo State will not be ruptured." Underlining supplied.
"Our response: Without any doubt, the underlined part of the quoted portion of the publication is a veiled threat to rupture the peace currently being enjoyed in Ondo State.
"Our Client is a peace-loving person. He has contributed immensely to the socio-political and economic growth of Ondo State and Nigeria. He loves peace. He wants peace. He preaches peace.
"We therefore use this medium to call on the Government and the people of Ondo State and Nigeria at large that, in the event of a rupture to the peace in Ondo State, they should look no further than in the way of Chief Idowu Asonja and his Tantita Group.
"The publication was concluded by the claim that "Our Client is in possession of photos and videos of the criminal invasion of his office and also the recorded conversation between him and Chief Bilbor (sic) Ajube..."
"Our response: The above-quoted portion, without any doubt, is intended to create a cinematographic allusion to the fantasies just reeled out in all the above-quoted parts of the publication.
"Our Client humbly requests the author to please quickly and kindly release the videos and recorded conversation to the public and the Security Agencies. This is the minimum request of our Client as doing so will greatly help the Government, the Security Agencies and the Public to know who, indeed, is planning to rupture the peace in Ondo State.
"Moreover, we further enjoin the Learned Author to further disclose to the Security Agencies and the Public, answers to the following questions:
"Whether the alleged conversation between our Client and Chief Idowu Asonja was by telephone;
"Who, if any, initiated the call/conversation;
"What was said and by who?
"For the ease of all however, we hasten to answer and state that it was indeed Chief Idowu Asonja who called our Client and rained curses, abuses and ‘yabis’ on him. Chief Asonja also threatened our Client and said so many unprintable things to him.
"As they say, records do not lie. At the appropriate time, all records and videos in our Client's possession will be made available to the Security Agencies and the General Public.
"Our Client denies each and all of the allegations made against him by Chief Idowu Asonja and his Tantita team who are the deemed authors of the publication under reference.
"Our Client is a responsible, peace-loving and proud Nigerian citizen of Ondo State origin. He is a security expert. A very successful businessman with investments in the oil and gas, construction, education and sports. His investments, are too massive in Ondo State not to be interested in the peace and good governance in the State.
"Let Tantita Security Services Ltd., the faceless sponsors of Asonja, Chief Idowu Asonja himself (who is a security detail dressed in the garb of Commander and Senior High Chief) look for another person to call out for war. We are for peace.
"Our Client thanks all well-meaning Nigerians for their love and calls since the infamous publication was made."