Niger Delta youth leader and security advocate, Comrade Efe Feludu O’Kwakpovwe, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to swiftly renew and expand the pipeline surveillance contract currently handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
Speaking in a statement issued from Warri, Delta State, O’Kwakpovwe emphasized that renewing the Tantita contract is critical to consolidating recent successes in the fight against oil theft and pipeline vandalism across the Niger Delta.
“I join millions of well-meaning Niger Delta youths in appealing to President Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, and the leadership of NNPCL to reject divisive calls seeking to dismantle the current contract structure. Tantita’s pipeline surveillance agreement must be renewed and even expanded to cover more areas. This is necessary to prevent security lapses and to stop those who are scheming to revive illegal bunkering activities,” he stated.
Appeal Against Divisive Agendas
O’Kwakpovwe urged individuals and groups promoting ethnic sentiments and attempting to discredit Tantita Security Services to focus instead on constructive collaboration that promotes peace and security in the region.
“Tantita has engaged more youths from diverse ethnic backgrounds than any other security outfit operating in the Niger Delta today. We should support any company that fosters peace, creates jobs, and protects national assets, working hand-in-hand with federal and state governments,” he said.
He pointed out that Tantita has fully complied with its contractual terms, covering key oil-producing states such as Delta, Ondo, Imo, Rivers, and parts of Bayelsa, while forging solid partnerships with ethnic communities across the region.
Impact of Tantita’s Operations
O’Kwakpovwe, who is a petroleum engineer, agribusiness entrepreneur, and former National President of the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU), reminded stakeholders of the devastating impact of unchecked oil theft and pipeline vandalism prior to Tantita’s engagement.
According to him, Nigeria’s crude oil production had plummeted to below 900,000 barrels per day in the third quarter of 2022, far short of the OPEC quota of 1.8 million barrels per day. The consequences, he said, were severe: environmental degradation, loss of agricultural livelihoods, rising cancer rates from hydrocarbon pollution, and mass layoffs in the oil sector.
However, since September 2022, when NNPCL awarded the pipeline surveillance contract to Tantita Security Services, there has been a remarkable turnaround. O’Kwakpovwe cited data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) showing that crude oil production rose from 937,000 barrels per day in September 2022 to over 1.6 million barrels per day in June 2025, even surpassing Nigeria’s OPEC quota.
Community-Based Security Model Working
He attributed this success to Tantita’s community-based security model, which incorporates cutting-edge intelligence systems, advanced surveillance technology, and the recruitment of able-bodied youths from pipeline-hosting communities, with the endorsement of traditional and community leaders.
“The once volatile and heavily polluted Niger Delta is gradually transforming into a peaceful and economically viable region. Today, committed local youths, working alongside national security agencies, vigilantly guard oil assets day and night across mangroves, forests, creeks, and waterways,” O’Kwakpovwe said.
Commending Tantita’s CSR and Youth Empowerment
O’Kwakpovwe praised Tantita’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, describing the company as the only private security contractor actively supporting community development, youth empowerment, and sustainable security efforts in all areas of its operation.
He also urged traditional rulers and community leaders across Delta State to resist the divisive tactics of self-serving individuals and politicians attempting to inflame ethnic tensions over land ownership and contracts.
“Let us unite across ethnic and community lines to promote peaceful coexistence, equal opportunities, and a safe investment climate. Only through unity can we attract industries back to our region and revive once-thriving economic centers like Koko, Agbor, Sapele, Effurun, Warri, and Ughelli—the heartbeat of the old Midwest State,” he concluded.