The sources said that given the insecurity in some parts of the country, the purported purchase of the war ships was an irregular transaction.
A security source who did not want his name in print said the issue was political and ill-timed, especially when security agencies were trying to tackle the problem of proliferation of arms in the country.
An online newspaper Premium Times, which broke the story, quoted a Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, which reported that Tompolo in 2012 received at least six decommissioned Norwegian battleships.
The gunships included six fast-speed Hauk-class guided missile boats, now re-armed with new weapons.
The most recent hardware, according to the report, is the KNM Horten, a fast-attack craft now allegedly used for anti-piracy patrol in the Nigerian waters.
The report said the deal 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.
Premium Times reported that the company, which has an office in Nigeria, could not be reached at the weekend and calls to its general manager, were unsuccessful.
Mr. Ekpemupolo runs Global West Vessel Service, which handles maritime security issues for the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.
The maritime security issues are essentially anti-piracy, although Tompolo’s firm itself is also accused of piracy.
The newspaper’s report that Norway sold such military hardware to an individual with a history of violence has angered the country’s lawmakers who are pressing for explanations.
According to Dagbladet, the government has defended the transaction.
The head of communications at the Norwegian State Department, Frode Andersen, was quoted by the paper as saying that “As far as we can see, the export of KNM Horten has followed correct procedure and terms of export to Great Britain. The re-export from Great Britain to Nigeria is a question to be handled solely by British export control authorities.”
Efforts by Daily Trust to get reactions from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Nigeria Navy were unsuccessful as at last night.
Speaking on the issue, another security chief said: “Let us not be talking of warships because it is not possible. Even Nigeria as a country has a few NNS Aradu, etc. May be we are talking of coastal patrol boats.”
