Anti-oil theft: Niger Delta Communities pass vote of confidence in Tompolo, Tantita

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Host Communities Producing Oil, Gas, and Pipeline Impacted States Youth Council of Nigeria (HOSTCONYCN) have passed a vote on confidence in the ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo and Tantita Security Services for what it described as the resounding fight against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

HOSTCONYCN, which comprises ex-militant leaders, civil society groups, professionals, and oil and gas experts, commended President Bola Tinubu for re-awarding the oil surveillance contract to Tantita security services.

The President of the group, Emmanuel Fiawei Pathfinder in a communique issued shortly after a meeting over the weekend, said Tantita’s fight against oil thieves has yielded results with increased oil production, adding that by February 2025, oil production will likely hit 2.5 million bpd to fully stabilise Nigeria’s economy.

The group listing the laudable achievements of Tantita, noted that since it started operation, the oil surveillance company has apprehended eight vessels, four tug boats, six barges, and 117 vehicles.

According to it, Tantita has also arrested 52 tanker trucks, 47 fibre speed boats, seven tricycles, motorcycles, and 1,743 wooden boats used in illegal operations.

Furthermore, the group stated that 3, 963 incidents of crude oil theft were recorded in the Niger Delta and successfully handled by Tantita.

HOSTCONYCN argued that because of the complex web of crude oil theft, the Federal Government should increase the budget of Tantita and its sphere of operation to achieve more positive results.

It noted that reports from Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC have affirmed the huge difference Tantita has made in the fight against crude oil theft.

‘’We, therefore, use this opportunity to appeal to Mr. President and the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Engr. Mele Kyari, to increase the funding of Tantita Security Services pipeline surveillance contract job, and to expand its scope of coverage by mandating it to carry out supervision, monitoring and include revenue collections from the vessels operating in Nigerian territorial waters in order to drastically reduce the sabotage of oil thefts activities being carried out by most of this foreign vessels operating in our Nigerian waterways.