The House of Representatives says it would investigate the circumstances surrounding the six warships said to have been procured by ex-militant leader, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and his company, GlobalWest.
The chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, who disclosed this in Abuja, described the alleged purchase of the six warships by Tompolo as “scary,” saying that it raised security concerns at a time the country was facing tough security challenges.
Although the Nigerian Navy said the warships belonged to NIMASA, a Federal Government agency, Mohammed said the House would be interested in knowing how a private individual was now performing a function that was statutorily the Navy’s.
“That function should have been performed by the Navy.
“When we resume in January, our relevant committees will be looking into the issue,” he added.
Mohammed recalled that, two years ago, the House moved to investigate a pipeline security contract the government awarded to Tompolo, but it was portrayed as going against the executive arm of government.
“Each time we talk in the House, we are like a bunch of nuisances.
“We had raised this issue of involving private individuals in our waterways in the past, but the House was not taken seriously.
