In a strongly worded open letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ogulagha Kingdom Peoples Front has warned against the ongoing campaign for the termination or non-renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, describing those behind the calls as enemies of the Nigerian state.
The group, in its letter signed by Elder F. E. Seimode Esq. (Chairman) and Comrade Shedrack Agediga (Mobilisation Coordinator), said Tantita has delivered unparalleled results in tackling crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and illegal bunkering across the Niger Delta, restoring peace and security in areas previously overrun by criminal networks.
According to the statement, previous surveillance contracts managed by non-Ijaw contractors failed to engage host communities, especially Ogulagha Kingdom — despite being home to several critical national oil and gas infrastructure. The letter referenced the Forcados Crude Oil Storage and Export Terminal, the Forcados/Yokiri Integrated Gas Project, and other vital installations located within the kingdom as essential national assets that must be protected.
The group accused some powerful individuals and former contractors of sponsoring a deliberate campaign of calumny to discredit Tantita in order to reclaim control of the lucrative contract. It noted that during previous regimes, surveillance funds were paid out while no real work was done on ground — a situation it described as fraudulent and unsustainable.
“Tantita has succeeded where others failed. They brought peace to our creeks, empowered our youths, and restored integrity to the pipeline security structure. The Federal Government must not allow politics and propaganda to reverse this progress,” the letter stated.
Highlighting the strategic role of Ogulagha in Nigeria’s oil economy, the group stressed that the voices of host communities must be respected. It called on President Tinubu to ignore the blackmail and renew the Tantita contract with an expanded scope, citing the company’s transparent operations and direct community engagement model as a benchmark for national security contracts.
Below is the full text of the open letter as released by the group:
THOSE CALLING FOR THE TERMINATION AND NON- RENEWAL OF THE TANTITA PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE SECURITY SERVICES CONTRACT IN THE NIGER-DELTA REGION ARE ENEMIES OF THE NIGERIAN STATE: A CALL FOR CAUTION
1. The highly revered Ogulagha kingdom peoples front is
home-based socio-cultural entity with a Mandate to speak truth to power with undiluted facts and figures aimed at putting things in perspective without distorting facts.
2. The urgent need to respond to the unending call for termination and non-renewal of the pipeline surveillance security contract as presently constituted has become quite compelling, given the misinformation peddled across the media space by persons who lack clear understanding of oil exploitation and associated nitty- gritty in the Ijaw oil bearing communities of Delta state in the Niger-Delta Region.
3. ThehueandcrybysomepaidAgentsofaprivilegedclassacross ethnic divide within the Niger-Delta Region over the pipeline surveillance security contract currently handled by Tantita Security services Ltd to secure the nation’s critical oil infrastructure in the region has become multi-dimensional with weighty political undertones, far beyond mere economic and political considerations. The intertwined economic and political considerations that often engender and propel natural survival instincts in human-race through the ages is today shamelessly pursued at the expense of moral values and good conscience. People no longer have sound moral values that constantly speak to their consciences. The crave for political and economic gains have both graduated to occupy and take the front seat whilst morals and good conscience have been assigned to the passenger’s seat. Conscience no longer speak through the people but political and economic considerations do.
4. The historical evolution of surveillance contracts in the Niger- Delta Region is as old as oil exploration and exploitation activities itself in the region. There are names that cannot historically speaking, be brushed aside or forgotten with ease when we talk about surveillance contracts awarded in the Niger-Delta Region by the Federal Government; NNPC;SPDC Chevron;Nigerian Agip oil company amoungst other oil giants in our nation.
5. The Ijaw oil bearing communities alone of Ogulagha kingdom in Delta State, contributes a significant or major proportion of revenue acruable to the federation account through Oil and Gas exploitation and thus, the warehouse to critical national oil/Gas industrial infrastructure in the kingdom. These critical oil and Gas infrastructure in our dear Ogulagha kingdom includes but not limited to the *Forcados crude oil storage export terminal; North-Bank; South-Bank; Yokiri; Estuary;Afremo; Meji;Forcados/Yokiri integrated Gas project and crude oil loading platform with several oil-wells scattered all over the kingdom as a revenue base for the entire country. So, as a people or group in that vantaged position, we speak not only as critical stake-holders but as a people with clear understanding of the oil and Gas industry and the management issues arising therefrom, whose voices, the government must not only listen to but must act upon appropriately.
6. The evolutionary history of the sixties through the seventies to the 21st century oil dynamics driven, political economy in our country, contractors from a section of the region have always dominated the entire value chain of the surveillance contract across all divide in the country. There were no ijaw men or women as registered contractors with the oil firms that operated within the Ijaw communities doing any of these jobs. These jobs were at their doorsteps. No fuss, no name-calling nor any form of protests either by an individual or group from the ijaw extraction was ever called to question despite the fact that these contracts were sourced and executed in Ijaw communities. The multi-trillion Dollar Forcados crude oil storage export terminal in Ogulagha community was the behave of all surveillance contracts and contracting activities in the region aside the Bonny crude oil storage export terminal in Rivers State. The natural resources that abound in the ijaw oil bearing communities are the major sources of the wealth amassed by those other ethnic nationalities who are today issuing fire and brimstone in the region. The big names we hear today across the ethnic divide in the region all made and derive their wealth and fame from our oil bearing Ijaw communities. The background stories of these wealth cannot be complete without reference to the Forcados crude oil storage export terminal in Ogulagha community of Ogulagha kingdom in Burutu local government council Area of Delta state. The descendants and siblings riding on the backs of thier fathers to whom the ijaws extended thier benevolence are the same ones, gradually and systematically undermining the significant roles of the ijaws in enabling them attain the fame and wealth they all enjoy to live a life of affluence today without remorse and repentance. The ever willing ijaw brothers were always given their support and cooperation. No threats whatsoever was issued to curtail or forestall any perceived economic dominance in their territory. Peaceful co-existence was the watchword.
7. The foundational wealth amassed by those at the forefront of the campaign of calumny against the operations of Tantita Security services Ltd in the region are traceable to the Forcados crude oil storage export terminal in Ogulagha Town. These set of non-indigenous contractors from across the ethnic divide in the region, measured and featured majorly in the area of grass-cutting; welding and painting contracts; and the provision of surveillance/security guards as labour supply contractors amoungst others in the forcados crude oil storage export terminal in Ogulagha and the associated facilities within the Ogulagha Kingdom.
8. The time has however come for us to call a spade a spade and condemn in the very strongest terns the ongoing mindless and criminal campaign of calumny orchestrated and sponsored by a select privileged individuals in the region masquerading behind the scene to destabilise and cause unnecessary tension in the Niger-Delta Region for mere economic and political gains. Recall, this pipeline surveillance security contract has passed through several contractors and individuals in the region before Tantita Security services Ltd came onboard about some three years ago with a more systematic and well cordinated result-oriented approach in the sector. When the erstwhile big- wigs or names from a section of the region handled the same pipeline surveillance contract in the immediate past in the region, the array of sponsors of today’s campaign of calumny were never seen. No single group or group of persons from the Ijaw ethnic nationality embarked on the mindless campaign against those who shabbily handled the pipeline surveillance security contract without impacts on the people. Today, these unpatriotic individuals hide under the cloak of their respective tribes with low sectional idiocracies are shamefully calling the management of Tantita Security services Ltd, all manner and forms of imprintable names. All of this is designed to discredit the management of Tantita Security services Ltd and takeover the pipeline surveillance security contract through the medium of cheap blackmail and unethical propaganda.
9. The organization called Tantita Security Services Ltd is today a global brand in the oil and Gas industrial revolution in terms of guaranteed safety and security awareness for optimal productivity in the petroleum industry. Tantita Security services Ltd is making tremendous inroads into reducing gangstarism; drug-abuse; pipeline vandalism; oil thefts and illegal oil bunkering and refining of oil without appropriate licences to so do. These landmark achievements have brought about a growth-friendly environment for our teeming youths to freely express thier God-given potentials to legitimate earning to live a more fruitful life. Youths hitherto engaged as ready and willing thugs by power-drunken moneybags and oil thieves to do all manner of unholy things are today gainfully employed across all divide in our Riverine communities and beyond. Peaceful co- existence amoungst the dominant dormant youths in the Niger- Delta Region has been fully and effectively enthroned for good.
10. In the year 2018 alone, the Nigerian National petroleum corporation, (NNPC) reported over 60 production losses on
TFP over operational breaches suggestive of ineffective and poor surveillance response strategies or modus operandi adopted by the pipeline security outfit handling the contact at the time.
11. The world at large needs to come to terms with a clearer understanding that the primary aim of the pipeline surveillance contract is to secure the critical oil and Gas infrastructure amidst rampant illegal oil bunkering activities with the attendant regular pipeline integrity breaches. The desire and urgent need to change the narrative in the midst of declining oil revenue into the federation account due to steady lapses on the management of the pipeline surveillance contract presented itself to the federal government. In the year 2018, the federal government responded by awarding the pipeline surveillance security contract to a named contractor in the region. What how ever played out subsequently in the cause of executing the contract was a total and unbelievable fraud of the century. The scope of the 2018 pipeline surveillance security contract was across the Niger-Delta Region and beyond.
12. The 2018 pipeline surveillance security contract awarded by Federal government crisscrossed all the oil discharge and loading trunk-lines within the southern region and traversed the Northern regions of the country with huge sums of tax-payers money unaccounted for. Persons were never employed from any of the Ijaw communities that abuts these facilities to monitor and ensure their safety. Yet monies were paid out by NNPC and the Federal government in trillions for settlement or payment of salaries of supposed surveillance workers on monthly basis. None was on ground to do the job but money regularly went out to individual pockets. No one ever knew that a contract of such magnitude used as conduit pipe to milk the nation dry overnight was in existence. Same was shrouded in complete secrecy.
13. The present sponsors of campaign of calumny knew of this immense fraud but did nothing. They kept mute. They were possible beneficiaries and therefore could not have engaged in any form of protest as they regularly smiles to the banks. The management of Tantita Security services Ltd faced all manner of odds from the powers-that be for attempting to make the pipeline surveillance contract as transparent as possible even at their personal-individual risk. Today and against all odds, the modus operandi of the pipeline surveillance contract has been so transparently handled by Tantita Security services Ltd that the benefits inherent in the contract translates directly to the people in the region and the nation at large. The Sharp downward slope of the distributable cash from the oil revenue acruals negatively affected the social-,infrastructural needs of the nation called Nigeria. Today, the story is totally different with the new blood of patriotism and hardwork with less crave for unearned wealth introduced into managing the pipeline surveillance contract.
14. The management of Tantita Security Services Ltd strategically adopted the direct salary and allowances payment model to workers across ethnic-lines engaged in its services. This methodology has proven to be a veritable approach in the execution of the pipeline surveillance contract. This formula obviate and by-passed the individual or ethnic-based cordinators who more often than not, collect monies on behalf of workers from their ethnic nationalities, without remitting the exact or appropriate amount to workers thus, causing unnecessary issues hindering the smooth execution of the pipeline surveillance contract. A good of number of those agitating for the factionalisation of the contract along ethnic lines does not have what it takes to manage such a sensitive contract. The results we see today is the patriotic and transparent execution of pipeline surveillance contract by *Tantita Security services Ltd* and nothing more.
15. There were serious accountability issues associated with the execution of the 2018 pipeline surveillance security contract. The Federal Government approved and released budget to cover repair works on some failed sections of the pipeline went down the drains, unaccounted for till date. The story today is again different. There has been more and more progressive transparency by the day in the management and execution of the pipeline surveillance security contract. The coming on board of Tantita Security services Ltd vigorously changed the entire narrative through policy re- direction and transparency focus. The daily production index of crude has dramatically increased in astronomical proportions in production outputs due to safe production environment.
16. Our drive to live a good life must be dictated by free natural forces of nature. Good and enjoyable life cannot be forced but given by God Almighty our creator. The creator of the heaven of heavens and the earth knows when and how to bless His people. He blesses those He wishes to bless and curse those He wishes to curse. Both good and bad times are all central to human existence on this earth. Just as we have the privilege of enjoying the good things of life as provided by our creator,we should and must equally learn to endure the pains that comes with the bad times. It is not by strength shall a man prevail but by He (God Almighty),who showeth mercy. GENESIS 33: 29 and the Book of ROMANS 19: 15 to 16.
17. What is however important for us as humans, is the fact that there are no bad times in the things of God. He said,in all things we shall give thanks to God Almighty. The times we perceive as bad times as humans, are actually the best times to go into our closets to review our past as a learning point so as to launch ourselves into a better future.
18. Those who are vexed and agitated and calling for a reversal of the pipeline surveillance security contract should see the unfolding events as a change in times and seasons. Our advice
and appeal to those getting agitated is to maintain the peace to keep the cool and join hands with the drivers of the process to attract more of such openings for the betterment of our Niger- Delta Region Riverine communities in particular and the nation at large. The chairman and the rest of the management team of Tantita Security services Ltd are persons of both Ogulagha and Gbarammatu Kingdoms who have deliberately chosen to make a different have proven thier mettle in the security industry.
19.The brains behind the cloak of incorporated personality or the veil of incorporation of Tantita Security services Ltd as an home-tailored and home-based Security outfit have demonstrated capacity, candour and goodwill in carrying out the functions and responsibilities as defined in the Articles and memorandum of Association of Tantita Security services Ltd
20. Today, this home-birthed and home-based Security outfit, competes and ranks shoulder to shoulder with those in the global space. Our environment is today very friendly to all facets of the local economy. Our people can gladly go to fish within the 200 nautical miles from our coastbanks to get their fish catches. This was never the case in the last twenty to thirty years. The ecosystem was favourably habitable to these fish colonies. When the ecosystem became hostile or unfriendly,the different species of fish colonies drifted or migrated into the high seas as a result of constant environmental pollution, exercibated by illegal oil bunkering activities which emits all kinds of pollutants into the
body of waters where these different species of fish colonies inhabits and stay safe for future mating for reproduction activities. These were the very days the surveillance contract was domiciled in the hands of parents or siblings of those who are the sponsors of today’s campaigns of calumny against the local and home-based security outfit that has come to stay.
21. The brains otherwise described as the engine room at the management and execution cadre of Tantita Security services Ltd who are indigenous to the harsh-hostile working environment like every other previous handlers of this surveillance contract have not only made a clear statement through the dexterity of their works but have consistently demonstrated the fact,that oil exploitation and exploration activities can be safely and effectively carried out in the Niger- Delta Region, given the right attitude and if the right attitude, is embraced by all critical stakeholders of good conscience in the region.
22. We see a progressive revolution of industrial harmony and development in the region and no one should be seen standing out as an enemy to the progressive efforts of Tantita Security services Ltd. Those behind the ongoing mindless campaign of calumny against Tantita Security services Ltd be advised to desist forthwith and drop the unwarranted agitations but join hands and strive to imbibe the spirit of togetherness through negotiations, cooperation and genuine compromises to help
enhance the current of wind of progress in the Niger-Delta
Region. CONCLUSION.
23. We therefore call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to renew or reward the security surveillance contract to Tantita security services Nig Ltd and expand the scope of their operations based on the perfect work they have done.
Thank you
Yours faithfully.
For and on behalf of Ogulagha Kingdom Peoples Front
Elder F. E. Seimode Esq.- Chairman
Comrade shedrack Agediga – Mobilisation cordinator
- CC:
1. H. E Governor Sheriff Oborevwori 2. The National Security Adviser
3. The Chief of Defence Staff
4. The Chief of Army Staff
5. The Chief of Naval Staff
6. The Inspector General of Police
7. The Director DSS/SSS
8. THE SGF
9. The Chief of Staff to the President
10. The Chairmen, Senate/Reps Committee on Niger Delta 11. The Chairman, House of Reps Committee on SSDC
