Former Niger Delta militant Asari Dokubo is known for his outspoken views on issues affecting the Niger Delta. His recent comments on pipeline surveillance contracts, however, have generated considerable debate about the potential consequences of making unverified claims about sensitive security and economic arrangements.
In a viral video, Dokubo alleged that Osahon Idahosa and the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, receive about N2.7 trillion annually from the Federal Government for pipeline protection. He initially described the figure as a monthly payment before subsequently referring to it as an annual payment. No supporting documentation was presented publicly alongside the claim.
The allegation was made in the context of Dokubo's comments about pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta, including the contract involving Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, associated with Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Whatever the merits of the wider debate about pipeline surveillance contracts, claims involving enormous sums of public money require credible evidence and proper scrutiny. Public discussion of government contracts is legitimate and necessary, but such discussions are better served by verifiable documents, official records and established oversight mechanisms than by unsubstantiated figures or allegations.
This is particularly important in the Niger Delta, where questions surrounding oil production, resource allocation, community interests and security have historically been highly sensitive. Public commentary that appears to associate particular contracts with specific ethnic or regional interests can deepen existing tensions and distract from the more important question of how pipeline surveillance can be made transparent, effective and accountable.
Nigeria's oil industry is already facing significant challenges, including crude theft, pipeline vandalism, production disruptions and the need to attract investment. The priority should therefore be cooperation among government institutions, security agencies, oil producers, contractors and host communities to protect critical infrastructure while ensuring that public funds are properly accounted for.
Pipeline surveillance has an important role to play in an oil-producing country such as Nigeria. Oil pipelines pass through extensive and difficult terrain, including creeks, mangrove forests and waterways that can be challenging to monitor. Specialised surveillance contractors can complement the work of conventional security agencies by monitoring infrastructure, identifying suspected breaches and providing information for further investigation and enforcement.
Oil theft, unauthorised tapping and damage to pipelines can result in substantial production losses. Effective surveillance can help reduce such losses, protect critical infrastructure and support government revenues and foreign exchange earnings.
There is also a strong argument for involving indigenous companies and members of host communities in the protection of oil infrastructure. Local actors often possess valuable knowledge of the terrain and the social dynamics of communities in which infrastructure is located. Properly structured contracts can also create employment, training and economic opportunities for young people in oil-producing areas.
For example, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited engaged Tantita in 2022 for pipeline surveillance. Public reports have put the value of the arrangement at about N48 billion annually. The company has said its personnel monitor pipelines, identify suspected illegal connections and provide information on crude theft and related activities to relevant authorities.
Tantita has also promoted community-based economic initiatives, including a rice farming programme intended to provide alternative economic opportunities in communities affected by illegal oil-related activities.
There are indications that Nigeria's crude production and losses from crude theft have changed significantly in recent years. Data cited from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative showed that Nigeria lost 36.69 million barrels of crude to theft and sabotage in 2022, compared with 7.68 million barrels in 2023. While several factors can influence production and crude losses, improvements in surveillance and security are among the measures that can contribute to better outcomes.
More recent data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission put crude and condensate production at 1,677,777 barrels per day in August 2026, including 1,500,190 barrels of crude. This was reported as being sufficient to meet Nigeria's OPEC crude production quota of 1.5 million barrels per day for a fourth consecutive month.
These developments underscore why the protection of oil infrastructure should be treated as a national economic priority rather than as a source of competition among regions or communities.
There is nothing inherently wrong with questioning the cost, effectiveness or beneficiaries of government security contracts. Indeed, such questions are essential in a democracy. What matters is that allegations involving public expenditure should be subjected to evidence-based scrutiny through the appropriate institutions.
Similarly, public officials, traditional institutions, businesses and individuals who are named in connection with such allegations deserve an opportunity to respond, particularly when the claims involve large sums of money or could affect their reputation.
The debate over pipeline surveillance should therefore move beyond personalities and competing narratives. Nigerians deserve to know how much is being spent, what contractors are required to deliver, how performance is measured, how contracts are awarded and whether the arrangements are producing measurable improvements in oil production and community security.
Greater transparency, independent oversight, environmental protection and meaningful community development should remain central to any sustainable security strategy in the Niger Delta.
The region needs constructive advocacy and accountable institutions capable of protecting critical infrastructure while addressing the legitimate economic interests of host communities. Public debate has an important role to play in achieving that objective, but it is most useful when claims are supported by evidence and expressed in a manner that does not unnecessarily inflame regional or communal tensions.
Tajudeen Suleiman is an Abuja-based journalist
Discussion0