In a major breakthrough against oil-related crimes, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’S SIS) has apprehended 17 suspected sea pirates linked to a renewed wave of attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta.
According to CSC Afolabi Babawale, the National Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, the high-profile syndicate was busted through an intelligence-driven operation conducted at Tonogbe, Ekeremo Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on the 6th of March, 2025.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with sister security agencies, as disclosed by the CG’S SIS Boss, Commandant AS Dandaura.
From Brutal Attack to a Coordinated Crackdown
Tracing the origins of this crackdown, Commandant Dandaura recalled a violent assault on the 21st of January 2025, when a heavily armed gang of suspected vandals and sea pirates launched a daring attack against the Joint Task Force, which comprised NSCDC operatives and Tantita Security Services personnel.
“Upon storming the Torugbene II unit base in Ekeremo LGA, Bayelsa State, the assailants opened unrestrained fire, killing ASC Umar Aliyu and carting away his AK-47 service rifle. The onslaught also left Ebikame Seimeneyefa of Tantita Security wounded, while a Tantita speedboat was hijacked and stolen,” the statement revealed.
Determined to dismantle the criminal network responsible, the CG’S SIS launched an intense undercover operation. Working round-the-clock in collaboration with Tantita Security and other security agencies, the squad tracked, ambushed, and apprehended the 17-member syndicate responsible for terrorizing the region.
The Face Behind the Mayhem
At the helm of the arrested gang was a notorious criminal, Ziakede Amatu, a feared vandal, kidnapper, and armed robber from Norgbene community, Ekeremo, Bayelsa State.
According to intelligence reports, Amatu and his gang had been orchestrating attacks across Bayelsa and neighboring states, unleashing havoc on both security operatives and oil infrastructure.
Further investigations uncovered shocking revelations the same gang was responsible for an attack on the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum, Hon. Lokpobiri Heineken, at his residence on the 1st of January, 2025.
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The kingpin, Amatu, also confessed to his earlier criminal dealings in illegal petroleum refining in Abonema, Rivers State, in 2023.
He had worked under a shadowy figure known as ‘Emergency’, who controlled a cache of seven AK-47 rifles hidden in the forest. However, following an abrupt disappearance of ‘Emergency,’ Amatu seized the weapons and later relocated to Bayelsa, where he sought guidance from community elders.
Instead of renouncing crime, he was advised to retrieve the rifles and use them for ‘community protection’ a suggestion he twisted into a full-scale militant operation.
A Web of Deception and Sabotage
A particularly sinister strategy used by Amatu was his attempt to infiltrate Tantita Security Services, an effort that failed. Undeterred, he procured fake Tantita uniforms to stage coordinated sabotage attacks on oil installations, framing the security outfit while executing his criminal agenda.
His confession further revealed that blackmail against Tantita Security’s Chairman, Ekpemupolo Owiezide Government (aka Tompolo) was a deliberate act of revenge. Unable to secure lucrative surveillance contracts, the gang turned to systematic destruction, striking oil and gas facilities and culminating in the murder of NSCDC and Tantita operatives.
Commendation for the Relentless Pursuit of Justice
In recognition of this major security triumph, the Commander of CG’S SIS extended gratitude to NSCDC Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, for his unwavering support. The logistical backing provided under his leadership has been instrumental in combating oil bunkering, piracy, and organized crime in the Niger Delta.
With the arrest of this deadly syndicate, the NSCDC’s relentless crackdown on oil vandals and pirates continues, sending a strong message to those threatening the nation’s critical resources that their time is up.