The Sole Representative of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and its joint venture partners, Prince Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, has rejected an allegation that the monarch receives ₦2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts.
Edema described the claim, made by Niger Delta figure Asari Dokubo in a video circulating online, as untrue and challenged him to produce documentary evidence to support the allegation.
Dokubo had alleged that the Olu of Warri and businessman Osahon, whom he identified as the son of the late Captain Hosa Okunbo, were receiving about ₦2.7 trillion annually for protecting oil pipelines.
He made the claim while commenting on pipeline surveillance arrangements in the Niger Delta and defending Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, whose Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited is involved in pipeline surveillance.
However, no contract document, payment record or other supporting evidence was presented publicly alongside Dokubo’s ₦2.7 trillion claim. Reports also indicate that Dokubo initially referred to the figure as a monthly payment before describing it as an annual amount.
In a statement dated October 6, Edema said the allegation was serious enough to warrant a public response because of its implications for the reputation of the Olu of Warri and the strategic importance of pipeline surveillance to Nigeria.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the allegation that the Olu of Warri receives ₦2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts is categorically rejected,” Edema said.
He challenged Dokubo to provide the documentary evidence on which the allegation was based, adding that any concerns over pipeline security arrangements should be examined through relevant contracts, procurement records, corporate documents, government approvals and performance reports.
Edema further said that where wrongdoing was alleged, the appropriate government institutions should investigate and establish the facts, rather than allowing politically charged allegations to take the place of evidence.
The controversy has renewed attention on the cost and structure of pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta, particularly arrangements involving private security companies and operators with links to communities and former militant groups.
The widely reported contract involving Tantita has previously been valued at about ₦48 billion annually, although more recent claims about the broader pipeline surveillance spending have produced different figures that remain subject to dispute.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
