...as Itsekiri Community Demands Immediate Cancellation of Tantita Pipeline Contract Over Land Encroachment and Security Concerns; President Tinubu Urged to Intervene.

An influential Itsekiri community group has taken a bold stand against the federal government's recent awarding of a pipeline surveillance contract to Tantita Security Services, led by renowned ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo. The group has formally petitioned the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, demanding the contract’s immediate annulment and issuing a stern seven-day ultimatum for action.  

The petition condemns the contract, which spans critical segments of Nigeria’s oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta, as a clandestine move that disregards the community’s rights and sovereignty. The Itsekiri leaders accuse the government of excluding their stakeholders from consultations, thereby marginalizing their interests in a region vital to the nation’s economy. They allege that the agreement has facilitated the infiltration of non-Itsekiri individuals into their ancestral lands, especially around Warri South-West, Warri North, and Warri South Local Government Areas, threatening the cultural integrity and security of their communities.  

According to the petition, the surveillance operations authorized under the contract have intensified militarization efforts, resulting in the systematic intrusion and occupation of traditionally Itsekiri territories. Several communities report cases of intimidation, displacement, and erasure of their cultural identity, with local leaders and residents fearing further erosion of their land rights. The community group asserts that the contract has not only compromised their territorial integrity but has also brought about a climate of insecurity and tension.  

In their urgent communiqué, the community group declared, “It is unacceptable that an Itsekiri territory — one of the most peaceful and historically strategic oil-producing ethnicities in the Niger Delta — has been subjected to systemic exclusion and aggression under the guise of pipeline protection.” They fear that if nothing is done within the stipulated seven days, their communities will resort to “peaceful but decisive” actions to safeguard their homeland from further encroachment and marginalization.  

Adding a significant dimension to the unfolding crisis, the group also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene personally in this matter. They warned that neglecting their plight could lead to increased instability in an already fragile region, potentially escalating into protests or other forms of civil unrest. The petition emphasizes the necessity of presidential intervention to uphold the rights of the Itsekiri people and preserve regional peace.  

The document has been forwarded to several key government agencies, including the Ministry of Defence, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and the Office of the President, as part of a broader effort to seek justice, transparency, and accountability in the handling of Niger Delta affairs.  

As tensions mount, the Itsekiri community leaders remain steadfast in their resolve to defend their ancestral lands and demand an immediate review of the Tantita contract, emphasizing that their future security and dignity depend on government action against perceived injustices in the oil-rich region.