A Niger Delta youth leader and security advocate, Comrade Efe Feludu O’Kwakpovwe, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to fast-track the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
In a statement issued in Warri, Delta State, O’Kwakpovwe described the renewal of Tantita’s contract as critical to sustaining the successes achieved in combating oil theft and pipeline vandalism across the Niger Delta region.
“I join millions of well-meaning Niger Delta youths in urging President Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, and the NNPCL leadership to reject divisive calls aimed at dismantling the current surveillance arrangement. The Tantita contract should be renewed and expanded to prevent security gaps and avoid empowering those seeking to revive illegal bunkering operations,” he said.
O’Kwakpovwe appealed to individuals and ethnic groups allegedly promoting division to redirect their focus toward supporting Tantita’s ongoing work in securing oil infrastructure.
“Rather than attempt to discredit a competent and experienced security company like Tantita, these individuals should work in synergy with it for the benefit of the region,” he said.
He highlighted Tantita’s role in youth engagement, saying the company employs more young people across ethnic lines than any other organization in the sector. He also noted that the Federal Government and NNPCL can attest to Tantita’s compliance with its contract terms across Delta, Ondo, Imo, Rivers, and parts of Bayelsa State.
O’Kwakpovwe, a practicing petroleum engineer and agrobusiness entrepreneur, emphasized that the Niger Delta suffered years of rampant oil theft, peaking in 2022 when Nigeria’s crude oil production fell below 900,000 barrels per day. This, he said, crippled agricultural activities, led to massive pollution, job losses, and increased insecurity.
“Since Tantita Security Services took over surveillance in September 2022, the situation has changed dramatically. Nigeria’s crude oil production has risen from 937,000 barrels per day to over 1.6 million barrels per day—exceeding OPEC’s quota in June 2025, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” he stated.
According to him, Tantita’s success is driven by advanced intelligence systems, cutting-edge technology, and the recruitment of local youths from pipeline-hosting communities, supported by traditional and community leaders.
O’Kwakpovwe also praised Tantita’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, describing the company as the only one actively contributing to community development, youth empowerment, and security enhancement in the region.
He appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders to resist attempts to incite disunity through land ownership or ethnic sentiments.
“Let us work together, irrespective of ethnic backgrounds, to build peace, attract investment, and restore the lost economic glory of key towns like Warri, Effurun, Ughelli, Sapele, Koko, and Agbor,” he said.
Credit: Petroxnewshub
