Isoko Group Petitions Tinubu Over Pipeline Contract Exclusion

A Niger Delta advocacy group has petitioned Bola Tinubu over claims that some ethnic groups have been sidelined in oil pipeline surveillance contracts in the region. The group, Niger Delta Advocate for Good Governance, Anti-Corruption and Transparency, alleged that the Isoko and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities were left out of the arrangement currently handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.

In a statement signed by Engr. Captain Momoh Ebiowei Erickson, the group said the petition was aimed at seeking fairness and transparency rather than targeting any individual. Erickson stated that since the surveillance contract was awarded in 2022 to the company owned by Government Ekpemupolo, stakeholders from Isoko land have not been involved in the operations.

The group expressed concern that the situation could trigger tension and threaten stability in the oil-producing Niger Delta, an area central to Nigeria’s crude oil output. It also pointed to provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act which encourage host community participation in protecting oil facilities.

Erickson called on the President to convene a roundtable meeting involving traditional rulers, ethnic leaders, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and relevant government agencies to address the concerns and ensure inclusive participation in safeguarding oil infrastructure in the region.