Protesters under the aegis of Concerned Niger Delta Stakeholders (CNDS) on Tuesday stormed the National Assembly in Abuja, opposing calls to decentralise the oil pipeline surveillance contract handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.
The demonstrators, numbering over 500, gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly as early as 9 a.m., disrupting vehicular movement and warning against any attempt to alter the current arrangement.
They argued that the contract, linked to Government Ekpemupolo, has significantly improved security in the Niger Delta and boosted crude oil production.
Carrying placards with messages such as “Nigeria cannot afford setbacks in oil security” and “Don’t destroy Niger Delta peace for self-interest,” the protesters described calls for decentralisation as self-serving.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Duduke Ebitimi said the region previously faced widespread criminal activities, including pipeline vandalism, oil theft, kidnapping, and sea piracy, which severely affected oil output and the national economy.
He noted that before the introduction of the surveillance contract, production had dropped to between 800,000 and 900,000 barrels per day due to unchecked illegal activities.
According to him, the initiative has since restored stability, increased production to over two million barrels per day, and reduced illegal bunkering.
He added that the contract has also created employment opportunities for youths, strengthened collaboration with security agencies, and improved protection of critical oil infrastructure.
The group rejected calls for decentralisation, insisting that those pushing for changes lack the capacity and are driven by personal interests rather than regional development.
It also warned against politicising the contract or linking it to the 2027 general elections, urging the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to sustain the current framework.
The protesters maintained that the contract was awarded through due process and should not be disrupted, stressing that altering a working system could reverse the gains recorded in the region.
Friday Olokor
