Share the Pipeline Surveillance Contract or Risk More Unrest and Lower Crude Output, Tinubu Warned”
By Passman Akpos
Apostle Comrade Ezekiel Daniel has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to decentralise the Federal Government’s pipeline surveillance contracts, arguing that breaking what he described as a monopoly is critical to restoring peace, protecting human rights, and boosting crude oil production across the Niger Delta.
Speaking on the state of security in the oil-rich region, Daniel alleged that residents of several riverine communities are facing intimidation, harassment and fear under the operations of Tantita Security Services, a company associated with former Niger Delta agitator Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
He claimed that the original pipeline surveillance initiative introduced during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was designed to empower local leaders, ex-agitators and community stakeholders with knowledge of their respective terrains to safeguard critical oil infrastructure while promoting peace.
According to Daniel, the contracts were previously shared among several regional leaders, including Tompolo, Boyloaf, Asari Dokubo, King Ateke Tom, Farah Dagogo and others, creating what he described as a balanced system that reduced conflict and encouraged cooperation among stakeholders.
He urged the Tinubu administration to return to that model by assigning surveillance responsibilities based on regional territories. He suggested that Tompolo, alongside Urhobo and Itsekiri leaders, should oversee Delta State, while Boyloaf and other leaders should manage Bayelsa State. He also proposed that Shoot-at-Sight should coordinate operations in Ondo State and the Egbema group should take responsibility for Edo State.
Daniel argued that under the previous decentralised arrangement, Nigeria’s crude oil production reportedly reached about 2.4 million barrels per day and communities experienced relative peace without widespread allegations of human rights abuses.
He further claimed that the situation changed after the death of the late businessman Captain Hosa Okunbo, when the Federal Government allegedly concentrated pipeline surveillance operations under PINL, Tantita Security Services and Maton Engineering in 2022.
According to him, the concentration of the contracts removed checks and balances among stakeholders and contributed to rising insecurity, including alleged killings, kidnappings and harassment in several riverine communities.
Daniel also alleged that residents who criticise the operations of the surveillance outfit risk being abducted and detained in alleged illegal detention facilities in Oporoza.
He questioned what he described as the operation of private detention centres, insisting that no private contractor should be permitted to operate detention facilities.
«”Even the President of Nigeria, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, does not own private prisons. It is unlawful for any private contractor to operate detention facilities,” he stated.»
The activist further alleged that complaints submitted to the United States Embassy over alleged human rights violations contributed to the reported visa cancellation of Kestin Pondi, whom he identified as a key official linked to the security outfit.
Concluding his remarks, Daniel appealed to President Tinubu to immediately decentralise the pipeline surveillance contracts, insisting that allowing each region to secure its own territory would reduce tension, improve accountability and restore lasting peace across the Niger Delta.
The allegations contained in Daniel’s statement have not been independently verified, and the organisations and individuals mentioned had not responded publicly to the claims at the time of this report.
