Tinubu Told To Immediately Terminate Tompolo’s Pipeline Surveillance Contract
- Niger Delta Centre for Justice and Accountability (NDCJA) urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to terminate the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited
- Comrade Efe Justice, Executive Director of NDCJA, warned that the centralised contract structure weakened accountability and posed risks to national security
- NDCJA proposed a decentralised pipeline surveillance system involving contractors from oil-producing states through transparent bidding processes
The Niger Delta Centre for Justice and Accountability (NDCJA) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately cancel the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a firm linked to former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo.
In an open letter addressed to the President, the group described the arrangement as flawed and argued that it undermines national security and fiscal accountability.
Source: UGC
The letter was signed by the organisation’s Executive Director, Comrade Efe Justice, who urged the Federal Government not to renew, extend, or modify the contract.
Group raises concerns over contract structure
The NDCJA criticised the existing surveillance framework, describing it as a monopolistic system that concentrates significant power and resources in the hands of a single private operator.
According to the organisation, such a structure weakens accountability and increases the risk of operational vulnerabilities in protecting critical oil infrastructure.
Part of the letter read:
“Recent operations have uncovered illegal bunkering networks expanding into urban peripheries, riverine areas, and regions like Abia State in early 2026, indicating that the monopolistic structure has failed to dismantle criminal syndicates and instead allows them to adapt and exploit gaps.”
Call for decentralised pipeline protection
The group proposed replacing the current system with a decentralised model that would involve contractors from each oil-producing state in the Niger Delta.
It argued that opening the process to transparent and competitive bidding would make use of local knowledge and intelligence, while also distributing economic opportunities more fairly across the region.
Justice said:
“The centralised, omnibus structure of the Tantita contract has also ignited dangerous rivalries among former militant leaders, indigenous security companies, community groups, and various stakeholders.”
He added that a decentralised framework would encourage healthy competition and reduce tensions among stakeholders involved in securing oil facilities.
Oil theft losses remain a major concern
The group further noted that crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and illegal bunkering continue to cause significant financial losses for the country despite existing surveillance efforts.
It cited estimates suggesting Nigeria could be losing as much as 15 billion dollars annually due to such activities, representing hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil each day at prevailing global prices.
Questions raised over accountability and national security
The organisation also expressed concern about the broader implications of outsourcing a key national security function to a private firm associated with a single individual.
Justice said:
“Moreover, the ongoing dependence on one private firm inextricably linked to a single personality introduces serious operational vulnerabilities.”
He argued that disruptions arising from disputes, legal challenges, or political changes could expose weaknesses that criminal networks might exploit.
Warning against renewal of the contract
The group further warned against renewing the agreement, claiming it could embolden individuals who threaten the government in pursuit of the contract.
Justice said:
“Also the resort to threat by Tompolo and his allies to force FG into renewal of the billions of naira contract exposes the desperation of the individuals involved. Going ahead to renew will only show that we have a weak government that bows to threats from criminals.”
He added:
“No individual is more powerful than a country. The Tantita contract is building individuals that will prove problematic to control in the future.”
Demand for immediate termination
The NDCJA concluded by urging the government to terminate the agreement without delay and implement a new surveillance strategy that prioritises transparency and institutional oversight.
Justice said:
“For all these reasons, the NDCJA demands the immediate and unconditional termination of the Tantita contract and the prompt transition to a fully decentralised surveillance regime.”
He added that contractors selected through open and competitive bidding in each Niger Delta state should work in coordination with federal security agencies, with their performance regularly assessed through independent audits.
Source: Legit.ng
