Activist urges Tinubu to decentralise contracts, questions alleged Oporoza detention centres linked to Tantita

Apostle Comrade Ezekiel Daniel has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently dismantle what he described as a monopoly in Nigeria’s pipeline surveillance system, warning that the current structure is fuelling unrest, fear, and alleged human rights violations across Niger Delta communities.

Speaking amid rising tensions in the oil-rich region, Daniel painted a grim picture of life in riverine areas, where he claimed residents are living under intimidation linked to the operations of Tantita Security Services, a firm associated with ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo.

Drawing from past arrangements, Daniel said the pipeline surveillance initiative introduced under former President Goodluck Jonathan was originally designed to promote peace by involving multiple local stakeholders. According to him, the contract was deliberately shared among prominent regional actors such as Tompolo, Boyloaf, Asari Dokubo, Ateke Tom, Farah Dagogo, and others to ensure balance, accountability, and territorial respect.

He argued that the decentralised model helped stabilise the region, boosted crude oil production to about 2.4 million barrels per day, and significantly reduced cases of violence and abuse.

“That system created checks and balances. Communities felt safer, and no single group had overwhelming control,” he said.

Daniel contrasted that period with the current arrangement, which he said changed in 2022 after the death of businessman Capt. Hosa Okunbo, when surveillance contracts were concentrated among a few companies, including Tantita.

Since then, he alleged, communities have faced increased incidents of harassment, kidnappings, and violence, alongside a drop in Nigeria’s oil output.

He further raised concerns about alleged illegal detention facilities in Oporoza, questioning the legality of any private entity operating such centres.

“Even the President, as Commander-in-Chief, does not run private prisons. So how can a private contractor be allowed to operate detention facilities?” he asked.

Daniel also claimed that fear has silenced dissent in affected communities, with residents allegedly unable to speak out without risking arrest or intimidation.

Referencing international attention, he noted that complaints over alleged abuses had reportedly reached foreign missions, including the United States Embassy, though such claims remain unverified by independent authorities.

As part of his recommendations, Daniel proposed a return to a region-based structure, suggesting that surveillance responsibilities be distributed among leaders across Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Edo states to reflect local dynamics and restore accountability.

He insisted that breaking the current monopoly is critical to ending what he described as oppression and rebuilding trust in the Niger Delta.

“The only path to lasting peace is to let each region protect its own territory under a balanced and transparent system,” he said.

The Federal Government and Tantita Security Services have not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of filing this report.