as reported by Primetimes
Norwegian Defence Chief, Haakon Bruun-Hansen, an admiral, has
apologised to the country’s lawmakers for the sale of a fleet of a
decommissioned naval battleships and combats boats to a former Niger
Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.
Mr. Ekpemupolo was the leader of one of the several militias in the
Niger Delta region that led a devastating campaign of violence against
the Nigerian state for several years until he was awarded a
multi-billion pipeline protection contract by the out-going Goodluck
Jonathan administration as part of an amnesty deal with ex-combatants.
After giving up fighting, surrendering his arms, and leading his men
to hand over their weapons, Tompolo in 2012 received at least six
decommissioned Norwegian battleships, a Norwegian newspaper, Daglabet,
found in December.
Among them were six fast-speed Hauk-class guided missile boats, now re-armed with new weapons.
The most recent hardware was the KNM Horten, a fast-attack craft allegedly used for anti-piracy patrol in the Nigerian waters.
Daglabet reported that the sale was implemented through a shell
maritime Security Company based in the United Kingdom, CAS Global.
CAS Global was used to evade a requirement by Norway that arms
dealers obtain export license from their country’s foreign affairs
ministry, the report adds.