By: Our Reporter
The Niger Delta Coalition Against Vandalisation of Oil Facilities (NDCAVOF) has called on the Federal Government to extend the pipeline surveillance contract of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) to cover offshore oil and gas facilities. In a press statement signed by its President, Powede Uyadonghan (JP), the coalition commended the Federal Government for what it described as strategic foresight in engaging Tantita to oversee onshore oil and gas assets across the Niger Delta, noting that the decision has yielded significant results in the fight against crude oil theft and vandalisation.
According to the coalition, Tantita has demonstrated exceptional professionalism and operational capacity since the commencement of its mandate. It highlighted a reported 79 percent reduction in crude oil theft and pipeline vandalisation within two years, alongside the discovery and dismantling of numerous illegal refining sites and bunkering camps. The company has also facilitated the arrest of suspected oil thieves and the seizure of vessels, barges, trucks, and equipment used in criminal operations, while deploying intelligence-driven surveillance tools such as drones and advanced monitoring technology.
The statement further noted that Tantita’s collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and statutory security agencies has strengthened the protection of critical oil infrastructure. These efforts, the coalition said, contributed to Nigeria’s crude oil production recovery to about 1.8 million barrels per day and enhanced national revenue through reduced production losses.
It also credited the firm with employing thousands of Niger Delta youths, improving community engagement, boosting grassroots intelligence gathering, and earning multiple national recognitions for excellence in oil infrastructure security.
While describing these gains as vital to Nigeria’s energy security architecture, NDCAVOF stressed that offshore installations remain vulnerable to theft and sabotage.
The coalition argued that expanding Tantita’s mandate to include offshore operations would create a seamless and integrated security framework across both domains. It urged the Federal Government to act decisively in the national interest by approving the extension, expressing confidence that the move would consolidate existing gains, safeguard Nigeria’s economic lifeline, and promote sustainable peace and stability in the Niger Delta.