A former Niger Delta militant, Mr.
Government Ekpemupolo, alia
Tompolo, has bought seven
decommissioned Norwegian
battleships.
Reports by a Norwegian newspaper,
Dagbladet, said that the fast-speed
Hauk-class guided missile boats had
been re-armed with new weaponry.
The report also revealed that
Ekpemupolo’s most recent purchase
is a KNM Horten, a fast-attack craft
now used in fighting piracy in
Nigeria’s waterways.
It was learnt that in spite of his
alleged history of violence, Tompolo,
now controls the Global West Vessel
Service, a privately owned contractor
for maritime security for the Nigerian
Maritime Safety Agency.
Buying arms from Norway requires an
export license from Nigeria’s Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. The ships were
reportedly sold first to CAS Global, a
British security company that has
such a license, after which
Ekpemupolo reportedly bought the
ships from the British company.
Dagblade reported that the seven
Norwegian ships are now part of the
company’s maritime fleet patrolling
under a contract for the Federal
Government.
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