has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the multi-billion-naira pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, warning that the concentration of oil-sector contracts among a few individuals could fuel discontent across the region.
The Concerned Niger Delta Patriots for Transparency and Resource Justice (CNDPTRJ) also called for a forensic audit of the contract, alleging that many oil-producing communities had been excluded from the economic benefits associated with the protection of the country’s petroleum infrastructure.
In an open letter to the President on Tuesday, signed by Comrade Maxwell Efe on behalf of the coalition, the group questioned whether Tinubu could secure widespread support across the Niger Delta if, as it alleged, the benefits of major oil-sector contracts remained concentrated in the hands of a few beneficiaries.
“Can Mr President win the entire Niger Delta region with the votes of only Tompolo and his self-serving allies?” the coalition asked.
The group, which said it comprised community leaders, youth organisations, environmental advocates and other stakeholders from oil-producing communities, argued that the Federal Government needed to adopt a more inclusive approach to contract allocation and pipeline security.
It maintained that communities whose lands and waterways sustain the oil industry deserved greater access to the economic opportunities generated by petroleum activities.
The coalition proposed a decentralised pipeline surveillance framework that would accommodate more ethnic nationalities, local organisations and host communities across the Niger Delta.
According to the group, broader participation would promote fairness, strengthen community ownership and address concerns over the concentration of responsibilities and financial benefits within a limited circle.
The coalition also raised allegations about the political activities of individuals it associated with the existing pipeline surveillance arrangement.
It claimed that resources linked to the contract were allegedly being channelled towards political interests outside the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), calling on the Federal Government to investigate the allegation.
The group alleged that Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and some of his associates had links with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which it claimed could help protect their interests if the country’s political leadership changed.
It further alleged that former militant figure General Adowei, whom it described as being closely associated with Tompolo, had emerged as the NDC’s Delta South senatorial candidate.
The coalition also claimed that a company allegedly operated by Tompolo and his associates was sponsoring political activities associated with the party in Kano State.
However, the letter did not provide independent evidence to substantiate these allegations.
The coalition nevertheless urged the President to investigate whether funds associated with the pipeline surveillance contract were being used to advance private or partisan political interests.
“At the heart of this scandal is the disturbing fact that the very man entrusted with protecting Nigeria’s oil pipelines and facilities is now allegedly linked to sponsoring political interests in parties that have vowed to dethrone Mr President in 2027,” the letter stated.
The group urged Tinubu to distinguish between genuine political support and relationships it alleged were driven by personal interests.
“We are the only true and loyal supporters of Mr President. Those who support Tinubu by night and sponsor opposition by the day must be identified, investigated and alienated from our treasury,” it said.
The coalition specifically called on the President to reject the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, arguing that the arrangement required a comprehensive review.
It alleged that the contract had raised concerns about accountability, potential conflicts of interest and the concentration of economic opportunities.
The group called for a forensic audit of the contract’s expenditure and performance to determine whether it had delivered value for money and achieved its objectives.
It also proposed a Niger Delta Security Summit involving representatives of ethnic nationalities, host communities, youth organisations and other stakeholders.
According to the coalition, the summit should develop a transparent and sustainable framework for securing oil pipelines while ensuring that opportunities associated with the exercise were not monopolised by a few beneficiaries.
It argued that involving more communities in the protection of critical petroleum infrastructure could help address local grievances, promote economic participation and strengthen the security of national assets.
The coalition further raised concerns about an alleged relationship involving the Presidential Amnesty Programme and a private contractor operating in the pipeline surveillance sector.
It claimed that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Amnesty also served as a personal assistant to Matthew Tonlagha, the Chief Executive Officer of Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited, which the group identified as a contractor working with Tantita on pipeline surveillance.
The letter, however, did not provide documentary evidence establishing the alleged relationship or showing that it breached any applicable regulations.
The coalition called for greater transparency in relationships involving public officials and private companies benefiting from government-related contracts.
It also alleged that oil and gas contracts were being concentrated among Tompolo and a small circle of associates, leaving many communities impoverished despite the Niger Delta’s contribution to national revenue.
“Every contract relating to oil and gas is unjustifiably being awarded to Tompolo and his few allies, leaving the majority of Niger Delta people in abject poverty and misery,” the group alleged.
The coalition urged the Federal Government to ensure that the management of the country’s petroleum resources reflected the principles of equity, accountability and broad-based economic participation.
It warned that failure to address the grievances could deepen dissatisfaction among communities that believe they have been excluded from the benefits of oil production.
The group maintained that pipeline security should not be treated solely as a security responsibility but also as an opportunity to promote inclusion, local economic participation and sustainable peace.
It cautioned that concentrating surveillance contracts among a limited number of beneficiaries could reinforce perceptions of unequal treatment and weaken confidence in the government’s commitment to Niger Delta development.
The coalition appealed to Tinubu to consider the interests of communities across the region before deciding the future of the existing contract.
“The eyes of the region and the entire nation are on you, Mr President,” the letter stated.
“History will judge whether you stood on the side of entrenched interests or chose the path of bold reform needed to secure our oil assets for the benefit of all Nigerians.”
The group said it remained willing to engage with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to promote peace, fairness and development across the Niger Delta.
It reiterated that a transparent and inclusive pipeline surveillance framework would help address local grievances while ensuring the security of the country’s petroleum infrastructure.
