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• Says move could result in revenue, security fallout
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The South-South Zonal Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Blessing Agbomhere, has warned that any attempt by the Federal Government to terminate the Niger Delta pipeline surveillance contract coordinated by Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, could trigger a fresh wave of oil theft, revenue losses and instability in the oil-producing region.
Agbomhere, who is also a member of the International Institute of Professional Security, said the surveillance arrangement had become a stabilising pillar for Nigeria’s oil sector and should not be dismantled amid what he described as renewed pressure for its cancellation.
In a public communication addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser and the leadership of the National Assembly, he argued that the contract, implemented through Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and other indigenous firms, has played a decisive role in reversing years of production decline caused by crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
According to him, prior to the introduction of the current surveillance framework, Nigeria’s petroleum industry was battling unprecedented sabotage that drove daily crude output far below its OPEC quota and cost the country billions of dollars in lost revenue.
“The oil sector was in a deep crisis. Production was collapsing, national income was shrinking and the scale of criminality in the creeks had overwhelmed conventional security operations,” Agbomhere stated.
He maintained that the community-based surveillance model coordinated by Tompolo marked a turning point by deploying local knowledge and grassroots intelligence to combat highly organised bunkering syndicates embedded in the Niger Delta’s creeks and offshore corridors.
He said the initiative led to the discovery of thousands of illegal pipeline connections, dismantling of illegal refining camps and interception of illicit crude transportation routes; measures he credited with boosting oil production and improving inflows into the Federation Account.
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“These actions have translated into a steady rise in oil production, improved inflows into the Federation Account, and renewed confidence in the petroleum sector,” he said, noting that the gains were already being reflected in national revenue performance.
Beyond fiscal recovery, he argued that the contract has delivered security dividends by reducing tensions in a region historically associated with militancy and economic sabotage. He said structured engagement of local youths under a lawful framework has curbed incentives for vandalism while strengthening collaboration between communities and federal authorities.
“The contract has gone beyond pipeline protection. It has become a platform for peace-building, youth engagement and intelligence-driven security in a very volatile environment,” he added.
He expressed concern that scrapping the contract could create a vacuum that criminal networks would quickly exploit, potentially reversing gains made in production recovery and regional stability.
“At this delicate economic moment, Nigeria cannot afford policy reversals that threaten its most vital source of income. Any decision that undermines oil production and security will have direct consequences for public finances and social stability,” he warned.
While defending the continuation of the arrangement, the APC chieftain acknowledged the need for transparency and legislative oversight, stressing that no public contract should be immuned from scrutiny.
However, he cautioned that reforms must be evidence-based and guided by national interest.
“No public contract is above scrutiny, but oversight must strengthen not weaken systems that are clearly working. Reform should not degenerate into regression,” he said.
