Niger Delta group demands decentralization of pipeline surveillance contracts

A pan–Niger Delta organisation, the United Niger Delta Congress (UNDC), has called on the Federal Government to decentralise pipeline surveillance contracts across all oil-bearing ethnic nationalities and host communities in the region, in line with provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the National President of the group, Julius Mallam-Obi, said pipeline protection should involve indigenous stakeholders from the ethnic nationalities and communities where the facilities are located, with clear accountability for breaches or acts of sabotage.

He said decentralising the contracts would strengthen community ownership of national assets, improve intelligence gathering and early warning systems, create employment opportunities for youths and women, reduce inter-ethnic tensions, promote stability across the Niger Delta, and enhance the protection of Nigeria’s oil revenue.

“Peace built on monopoly is fragile, while peace built on justice and inclusion is sustainable,” he said.

Mallam-Obi also stressed the need to address what he described as the overlooked role of women in pipeline surveillance operations.

“Women in oil-producing communities have borne enormous environmental and economic hardship due to decades of oil exploitation, yet they remain largely excluded from opportunities related to protecting their land’s resources,” he said.

He advocated that at least 35 per cent of surveillance opportunities be allocated to women from oil-producing communities through cooperatives and community-based enterprises.

“Empowering women strengthens families, stabilises communities and promotes long-term peace,” he added.

Mallam-Obi further expressed concern over what he described as the perception that certain key political positions relating to Niger Delta affairs have effectively become reserved for a single ethnic group.

He cited the position of Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, which he said has consistently been occupied by individuals from the same ethnic background.

According to him, the Niger Delta comprises diverse ethnic nationalities with capable and experienced leaders across communities, stressing that no group holds a monopoly on leadership, competence or patriotism.

“For the sake of fairness and regional stability, this pattern must change,” he said.
The group also called for an urgent audit of pipeline surveillance contracts for the sake of transparency and accountability.

It urged the Federal Government to immediately conduct a comprehensive audit of all pipeline surveillance contracts currently in operation and publish the terms, beneficiaries and financial scope of the agreements.

The group also called for investigation into crude oil losses around export terminals and for equitable participation of ethnic nationalities and host communities in surveillance activities.

Furthermore, it urged the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives Nigeria to exercise their constitutional oversight powers by launching a transparent investigation into the pipeline surveillance regime.

“Nigerians deserve to know who holds these contracts, how much public money is involved, and why oil production remains stagnant despite huge spending,” the group said.

Earlier, the convener of the organisation, Fejiro Oliver, said the group remains committed to promoting equity, justice, inclusion and sustainable development among oil-producing ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta.