A civil society group has defended the current pipeline surveillance framework in the Niger Delta, stating that the arrangement was deliberately structured to ensure that the protection of oil infrastructure is not dominated by any single ethnic group or community. According to the group, the surveillance system was designed to involve coordinators and subcontractors drawn from various tribes and host communities across the region.
In a statement issued on the matter, the group explained that the inclusive approach allows different communities to participate in safeguarding critical national assets. It noted that the arrangement has also created legitimate employment opportunities for youths in several communities in the Niger Delta.
“This inclusive approach ensured that every community became a stakeholder in protecting national assets while also providing legitimate employment opportunities for youths across the Niger Delta,” the statement said.
The group, however, expressed concern over what it described as a coordinated campaign aimed at discrediting the surveillance arrangement. It alleged that some individuals who previously benefited from oil theft and illegal refining activities are uncomfortable with the level of accountability introduced by the current system.
“Corruption in the oil bunkering sector is fighting back. Those who profited from the chaos of pipeline vandalism and illegal refineries are naturally uncomfortable with the new order,” the group stated.
It also cautioned the Federal Government against transferring pipeline protection responsibilities to individuals or groups it accused of having links with illegal refining networks. The group urged authorities to treat allegations against the current surveillance contractors with caution and proper verification.
The organisation further called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sustain the existing framework, warning that dismantling it without a credible alternative could threaten the fragile peace currently being experienced in the Niger Delta. It recalled that the region had previously witnessed widespread violence that disrupted oil production and affected national revenue.
“As history has shown, there was a time when the Niger Delta was engulfed in violence. Militancy disrupted oil production, pipelines were destroyed and national revenues collapsed. The present stability was achieved through dialogue, inclusion and community participation,” the statement added.
The group also recommended that the Federal Government establish an independent delegation to verify claims about the inclusiveness of the surveillance structure, the reduction in pipeline vandalism and the programme’s impact on community development. It stressed that several contractors operate along different pipeline corridors in the Niger Delta and that the arrangement should not be misrepresented as being controlled by a single entity.
According to the group, the collaborative surveillance model currently in place has proven to be more effective than previous approaches in protecting Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure.