Eradiri Ex-IYC President Faults Calls for Cancellation of Tompolo’s Pipeline Surveillance Contract

A former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Engr. Udengs Eradiri, has criticised calls for the cancellation of the oil and gas pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services, a firm linked to former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.

Eradiri urged the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to disregard the campaign for the termination of the contract, describing it as misguided and potentially harmful to the fragile peace and stability in the Niger Delta. He argued that the security arrangement has significantly improved protection of oil infrastructure and reduced illegal activities in the region.

The former IYC leader made the remarks amid mounting criticism from some civil society organisations and interest groups who have demanded the cancellation of the multi-billion-naira surveillance contract, citing transparency and accountability concerns.

Eradiri Defends Tantita Contract

Eradiri maintained that those advocating the termination of the contract are “enemies of Nigeria” who are attempting to reverse the progress recorded in securing oil facilities across the Niger Delta. According to him, the surveillance initiative has contributed significantly to reducing oil theft, pipeline vandalism and violent conflicts that previously plagued the region.

He further argued that the company’s operations have helped stabilise the oil-producing communities and restore relative peace in areas once known for frequent attacks on oil infrastructure. The improved security environment, he said, has played a role in boosting crude oil production and strengthening the country’s economic outlook.

The former Bayelsa State commissioner also emphasised that the contract has created employment opportunities for thousands of youths across the Niger Delta, thereby providing an alternative to criminal activities such as illegal refining and pipeline sabotage.

Critics Raise Transparency and Inclusiveness Concerns

Despite the support expressed by Eradiri and other regional stakeholders, some organisations have continued to question the legitimacy of the pipeline surveillance arrangement. Critics argue that assigning the responsibility of protecting strategic national assets to a private company could undermine the role of official security institutions such as the military and the navy.

Some groups have also raised concerns over the alleged lack of transparency surrounding the contract, which is reportedly worth billions of naira annually. They have called for a more inclusive approach that would involve multiple communities and stakeholders in safeguarding oil infrastructure in their respective areas.

In addition, critics warn that concentrating such a lucrative contract within a particular group in the Niger Delta could create tensions among other communities who believe they are being sidelined in matters relating to the protection of resources located within their territories.

Call for Continuity and Expansion

Responding to these concerns, Eradiri insisted that dismantling the existing arrangement could undermine the gains already recorded in the fight against oil theft. He urged the Federal Government to focus on strengthening and possibly expanding the programme rather than cancelling it outright.

He also noted that the engagement of local stakeholders in protecting oil facilities was a long-standing demand of Niger Delta communities, which the government eventually addressed through the surveillance contract. According to him, maintaining the initiative would sustain peace, encourage community participation and further reduce sabotage of critical infrastructure

Eradiri therefore appealed to national authorities to carefully evaluate the achievements of the programme before making any decision regarding its future.