Niger Delta ex-militants, Board of Trustees (BoT), Critical Stakeholders Forum (CSF) and the Foundation for Heritage Advancement and Development in Niger Delta (FHADND) yesterday rejected calls from the decentralisation of the pipeline security contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).

They praised the National Assembly for dismissing three petitions against the firm owned by ex-agitator Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo.

In a communiqué after their meeting in Port Harcourt, the stakeholders described the call to tamper with the framework of the contract as premature, dangerous and potentially counterproductive. They recalled that before the era of Tantita’s operations, Niger Delta was notorious for oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering, sabotage of oil infrastructure and environmental degradation.

The stakeholders noted that following the surveillance contract, all the vices had reduced to their barest minimum adding that the current operation framework had led to improved field coordination, stronger local intelligence gathering and increased operational vigilance, among others.

They insisted that any attempt to distort the existing structure would create operational confusion, encourage rivalry among multiple actors, weaken accountability, undermine coordination and efficiency and create security gaps that criminal elements could exploit, among others.