Leaders and stakeholders from the Niger Delta have rejected calls for the decentralization of the pipeline surveillance contract currently handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, describing the agitation as unnecessary and potentially disruptive to security gains recorded in the region.
Speaking during a protests, community leaders and youth representatives maintained that the surveillance arrangement has significantly improved security across oil-producing communities.
They argued that before the contract was awarded, oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism were rampant across the Niger Delta, negatively impacting Nigeria’s oil production and economic stability.
According to them, since the contract was awarded to Tantita, incidents of pipeline vandalism have drastically reduced, while illegal refining activities and crude oil theft have also declined.
The leaders stressed that the contract was awarded to a private security company through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and therefore should not be politicized or fragmented.
They noted that the company has already engaged thousands of youths across several Niger Delta communities, providing employment opportunities and helping to stabilize the region.
The stakeholders also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sustain the current surveillance structure, warning that decentralizing the contract could create rivalry among groups and weaken security around critical oil infrastructure.
According to them, the current arrangement has helped restore peace across the creeks and waterways of the Niger Delta, enabling safer movement and improved oil production.
They urged individuals or groups seeking similar surveillance opportunities to approach the relevant authorities through proper channels rather than agitating for the division of an already existing contract.
About Author
