Ex-Lawmaker Advocates for Continuation of Niger-Delta Pipeline Surveillance Agreement
Oghene Egoh, the former lawmaker who represented Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, has publicly urged the Federal Government to maintain the oil pipeline surveillance contract awarded to indigenous security firms. Egoh made this appeal during a press briefing in Lagos on Monday, directly responding to calls from some quarters for the revocation of the contract.
Security Firms and Their Impact
He specifically mentioned local security firms such as Tantita Security Services and others, highlighting their crucial role in enhancing security around oil pipeline areas. According to Egoh, these outfits have significantly contributed to increasing oil production by effectively curtailing pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering, and crude oil theft across the Niger Delta region.
The engagement of indigenous surveillance organizations, under the leadership of figures like Tompolo, has been instrumental in safeguarding critical oil infrastructure and boosting national revenue generation. Egoh noted that before this intervention, Nigeria was reportedly losing billions of dollars annually due to sabotage and criminal activities along pipeline corridors.
Economic and Developmental Benefits
The improved security architecture has enabled the Federal Government to strengthen budgetary implementation in key sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture, thereby contributing to overall national development. Egoh further explained that Nigeria's crude oil output has seen a noticeable improvement in recent times, rising to over 1.5 million barrels per day. This marks a significant increase from the drastically lower figures of around 900 barrels per day recorded during the peak of pipeline vandalism.
He emphasized that the drastic reduction in bunkering and oil theft is largely attributed to the familiarity of local surveillance operatives with the difficult terrain and community dynamics of the Niger Delta region. Egoh warned that revoking the surveillance contract could reverse these gains, potentially exposing pipeline facilities to renewed attacks and resulting in substantial economic losses.
Recommendations and Future Outlook
The lawmaker also urged the security contractors to intensify their operations to consolidate the progress achieved. He called on the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to disregard what he described as misinformation and propaganda against the indigenous firms. Egoh maintained that securing oil installations requires specialized local knowledge and sustained community engagement, adding that reliance on foreign security contractors could lead to higher operational costs and limited effectiveness.
He reiterated that the current arrangement has demonstrated measurable results and advised stakeholders to prioritize national interest by supporting initiatives that enhance oil production stability and economic growth. To promote transparency and public confidence, Egoh recommended periodic independent assessments of the surveillance framework in the management of Nigeria's strategic oil assets.
Expressing optimism, he stated that continued collaboration between the government, host communities, and indigenous security providers would sustain peace in the Niger Delta and strengthen the country's revenue base in the long term.
