PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE CONTRACT: PREYE TAMBOU WARNS AGAINST ETHNIC POLITICS, DEFENDS TANTITA DEAL
By Ambrose Obioma Okehi (News Emperor)
A Niger Delta activist, Comrade Preye Tambou, is urging ethnic groups in Delta State to drop their opposition to the pipeline surveillance contract given to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited. Tambou warns that ethnic agitation over the deal could harm national security and the oil and gas sector’s progress.
In a statement, Tambou said Tantita’s work has boosted Nigeria’s crude oil production, which had hit record lows before the company took over. He insists the contract was awarded based on merit, not ethnicity, and shouldn’t be politicized.
“Pipeline surveillance is a federal security contract, not a prize to be shared among ethnic groups,” Tambou stated. He’s cautioning against divisive narratives that weaken collective security, emphasizing that oil is a national asset.
A Niger Delta activist, Comrade Preye Tambou, has appealed to ethnic champions and pressure groups in Delta State to reconsider their opposition to the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, warning that ethnic agitation over the deal could undermine national security and ongoing gains in the oil and gas sector.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Warri, Tambou said the impact of Tantita’s engagement was evident, noting that Nigeria’s crude oil production has improved significantly after hitting record lows before the company took over pipeline surveillance duties.
He described calls for the cancellation or redistribution of the contract along ethnic lines as misguided, insisting that the award was based on merit and operational competence, not ethnic considerations.
“Pipeline surveillance is a federal security contract, not a common wealth to be shared among ethnic groups or communities,” Tambou stated. “Oil is a national asset belonging to Nigeria, as clearly provided for in the Constitution and the Petroleum Industry Act.”
The activist cautioned against turning the issue into an ethnic debate, stressing that such narratives only breed division and weaken collective security. According to him, arguments that the contract should be cancelled or reallocated on ethnic grounds are neither principled nor constructive, but rather political tools capable of undermining national stability.