A former National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, has dismissed renewed calls for the decentralisation of oil pipeline surveillance contracts awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.
In a statement released in Yenagoa on Tuesday, he described such agitations as “misplaced and counterproductive.”
Ekerefe, who said he had deliberately refrained from public commentary on the issue since leaving office, explained that persistent pressure from some regional stakeholders necessitated his intervention, particularly given his role in earlier advocacy that culminated in the award of the contract.
He recalled that before Tantita’s engagement, pipeline surveillance was handled by the Nigerian Navy and private firms, including Ocean Marine Solutions Limited, yet the country’s crude oil production plummeted to historic lows.
According to him, entrenched corruption and opacity within the oil and gas value chain made far-reaching reforms inevitable during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He noted that the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, alongside the then Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, initiated a transparent procurement process that paved the way for the emergence of indigenous firms, including Tantita.
Ekerefe maintained that the performance of Tantita, under the leadership of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has vindicated the Federal Government’s decision to award and subsequently renew the contract.
He argued that crude oil theft has been curtailed by over 90 per cent under the company’s operations, attributing the gains to the deployment of advanced surveillance technology, including drones and real-time monitoring systems.
“You may recall that prior to Tantita’s engagement, the Nigerian Navy and Ocean Marine Solutions Limited received substantial funding to secure pipelines, yet oil production declined to between 900,000 and 1.1 million barrels per day.
“As a concerned youth leader, I find it difficult to justify the sustained calls for decentralisation when Tantita has not only met expectations but surpassed them.
“Through its operational efficiency, Nigeria is estimated to have recovered nearly $8bn in annual oil revenue. Oil theft has been significantly reduced, while production levels have rebounded,” he added.
The former IYC spokesman also highlighted the environmental and socio-economic impact of the contract in the Niger Delta, noting that illegal refining activities, commonly referred to as “kpo-fire,” have declined markedly, resulting in improved environmental conditions.
He further disclosed that more than 18,000 youths from host communities have been directly engaged by the company, alongside interventions in healthcare, education, and small-scale enterprise development.
“Our environment is far more habitable today than it was a few years ago when illegal bunkering devastated our ecosystem and threatened livelihoods,” he said.
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“Tantita operates one of the most impactful corporate social responsibility frameworks in the country, spanning medical outreach programmes, infrastructure development, and support for small and medium-scale enterprises. Thousands of youths and women have benefited from these initiatives.”
Ekerefe, however, expressed concern over what he described as vested interests behind the push for decentralisation, warning that such demands could undermine the gains recorded in safeguarding critical oil infrastructure.
“Some of those advocating decentralisation are beneficiaries of the current system. Their position raises questions about motive and intent.
“Not everyone is comfortable with Tompolo’s central role, but that does not detract from the company’s proven capacity. If Tantita were underperforming, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not have renewed the contract.”
He urged stakeholders to exercise restraint and embrace dialogue in addressing legitimate concerns, rather than pursuing what he termed divisive and potentially destabilising demands.
“As a region, we must act with unity and strategic clarity. The priority should be economic growth, environmental sustainability, and inclusive development for the Niger Delta, not narrow personal interests,” Ekerefe stated.