Stakeholders and community leaders from Tombia in Degema Local Government Area have strongly commended the performance of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and called on the Federal Government to sustain the current surveillance structure that has significantly improved the protection of Nigeria’s oil pipelines.
Speaking during a community advocacy briefing, Hon. Dennis Philip, a respected leader from Tombia, said recent discussions around Nigeria’s oil security architecture have once again highlighted the critical role of private surveillance operators in protecting the nation’s economic lifeline.
According to him, the work of Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, through Tantita Security Services has become one of the most successful interventions in safeguarding Nigeria’s oil infrastructure.
In his words: “Since the Federal Government awarded the pipeline surveillance contract to Tantita, the difference has been clear across the Niger Delta.
“For many years, the Niger Delta suffered massive crude oil theft, illegal refining activities, and persistent pipeline vandalism that cost Nigeria billions in lost revenue. Today, we are witnessing a different reality,” Hon. Philip stated.
He noted that reports and discussions within Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited indicate that Nigeria’s crude oil production has improved following the intensified surveillance operations carried out by Tantita and other security partners.
While acknowledging that other surveillance companies also operate in the sector, Hon. Dennis Philip emphasized that the structure, grassroots intelligence network, and deep community engagement introduced by Tompolo’s leadership have proven exceptional.
“The approach adopted by Tantita goes beyond surveillance. It involves the communities themselves. It empowers youths, discourages criminal activities, and builds local responsibility for protecting national assets,” Hon. Philip stated.
He further commended the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the President has demonstrated a clear understanding of the strategic importance of peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.
“A leader must listen to constructive criticism, but he must also distinguish between genuine concerns and the voices of detractors whose interests may not align with national progress.
“The successes recorded under the current surveillance arrangement show that the President understands the important link between security, community participation, and economic recovery,” he opined.
Also speaking, the Youth Leader, Tarry Foray Fayeofori described the achievements recorded under Tompolo’s leadership as remarkable and worthy of national recognition.
According to him: “What Government Ekpemupolo has achieved within this period cannot easily be quantified.
“The reduction in illegal bunkering activities, the discovery and dismantling of illegal refining sites, and the improved stability in many creeks of the Niger Delta clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of this surveillance structure.
“The difference between the past and the present is obvious. Tongues cannot fully count the goodness that has come to the nation through these efforts.”
Fayeofori stressed that community stakeholders strongly support the continuation of the surveillance contract under Tompolo.
“Stability and effectiveness should never be sacrificed for unnecessary experimentation. As the saying goes, the devil you know is better than the angel you do not know,” Fayeofori stated.
He therefore appealed to Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow the current arrangement to continue, noting that the results achieved so far speak clearly for themselves.
According to him, Nigeria’s economic lifeline flows through the pipelines of the Niger Delta, and protecting them requires courage, experience, community trust, and deep local knowledge—qualities that Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited has consistently demonstrated.
