Abuja, Nigeria – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and lawmakers in the National Assembly have been called upon by Niger Delta stakeholders to designate Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) as the sole contractor for the surveillance of oil pipelines and other national assets in the Niger Delta region, including offshore facilities.
In a joint statement, Ambassador Fred Igere JP and Chief Williams Tortor highlighted that securing oil pipelines is a national issue that should transcend ethnic considerations. They expressed dismay at recent criticisms directed at TSSNL, especially given the firm’s efforts to contribute to community and national development beyond its primary mandate. This includes creating jobs, providing support infrastructure, and empowering local communities.
“Has any pipeline surveillance contractor before now achieved or done what Tantita is doing in terms of empowering businesses, involving more youths by creating more jobs, and building infrastructures for various institutions across the country?” they rhetorically questioned.
Ambassador Igere and Chief Tortor further alleged that those envious of TSSNL’s significant achievements and fearful of losing influence are behind the calls for the contract to be split. They cautioned those they described as “ignorant” against being used by “enemies of progress” to sow confusion, stating that such actions would portray them as “shallow minded”.
They further asked, “Those that are allowing themselves to be used to protest against Tantita, are they aware that securing oil pipelines is a national issue and not a local one? Do they know the history behind this current option that the government, having tried other alternatives and failed, settled for, because it is producing positive results?”
The stakeholders urged the federal government to disregard such protests and to extend Tantita’s surveillance contract to include offshore facilities, asserting the company’s capability to handle the expanded task.
“We are calling as well as urging the federal government to expand the surveillance scope of Tantita to include offshore surveillance of national assets as the company is more than capable to do the job,” they stated. They concluded by emphasizing the need for national leaders to base decisions on competence rather than ethnic affiliations, asserting that “He, who the cap fits, should wear it, and High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, the Chairman of Tantita, is a leader that everyone knows the cap fits.”
