The Itsekiri Youths for Good Governance has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resist growing pressure to decentralise pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta, warning that such a move could open the door to criminal infiltration of the nation’s oil assets.
In a statement issued on Monday, the group described the push for regional redistribution of surveillance contracts as a “dangerous and self serving” agenda driven by vested interests rather than genuine calls for fairness.
According to the group, the campaign is a veiled attempt by criminal elements seeking access to oil pipelines for illegal bunkering and crude oil theft.
The group recalled the era of militancy and widespread pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, noting that the current level of stability in the region was achieved through sustained efforts and should not be undermined.
It argued that existing surveillance contractors have demonstrated capacity in curbing oil theft, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and maintaining order in volatile communities.
“Decentralisation, as currently being proposed, is nothing but a coded attempt to legitimise disorder and create multiple centres of unregulated control,” the statement said.
The group stressed that pipeline surveillance remains a matter of national security that should be handled based on competence and proven performance, not political patronage.
Rather than restructuring the current system, the youths urged the Federal Government to strengthen existing arrangements by expanding operational coverage and improving logistical support for contractors already delivering results.
The organisation also appealed to traditional rulers, youth groups, and political stakeholders across the Niger Delta to reject divisive narratives capable of triggering tension in the region.
It warned that any attempt to politicise pipeline surveillance could reverse the gains recorded in recent years and return the region to instability.
“We must not allow a few desperate actors to drag the entire Niger Delta back into an era of violence, destruction, and economic sabotage,” the statement added.
The statement was jointly signed by Mone Oris, Chairman, and Metsaghanrun S Oki, Secretary of the group.
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