PRESS STATEMENT

BY Coalition of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities (CNDEN)

The Coalition of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities (CNDEN), representing the diverse ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta region, urgently calls for the decentralisation of pipeline protection contracts to major stakeholders across the region.

The CNDEN wishes to draw President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s attention to the growing concerns surrounding the monopolisation of pipeline protection contracts in the Niger Delta by a narrow group of individuals.

It is important to clarify that no Niger Delta person is calling for the revocation of the pipelines surveillance contract. Instead, all concerned Niger Deltans are advocating for decentralisation to ensure accountability, equal representation and fairness for all stakeholders in the region.

The Niger Delta remains the economic backbone of Nigeria. The daily extraction of crude oil and gas from our lands and waters sustains the national economy and funds government operations across the federation. However, the region’s unique terrain and the recent armed struggle that disrupted oil and gas infrastructure and activities cannot be overlooked.

All struggle leaders are naturally inclined to control their primary domain. Therefore, it is crucial that we consider these concerns to prevent another phase of armed struggle in the region. All indications suggest that this reality is imminent due to deep-rooted grievances exacerbated by the unprecedented greed of individuals who should have openly discussed this issue with their colleagues and in the spirit of brotherhood. 

Therefore, it will be counterproductive in the near future. It’s unacceptable that the protection of such critical national assets is concentrated in a few individuals while the majority of stakeholders and host communities bearing the environmental and social burden of oil exploration are sidelined.

The Coalition clearly states that pipeline protection in the Niger Delta must not be the exclusive preserve of a few individuals. Such an arrangement is unjust, politically insensitive and currently causing resentment among the various ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta region.

As representatives of the diverse ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta, we strongly demand that pipeline protection contracts be decentralised and fairly distributed among credible stakeholders within each Niger Delta state. Every oil-producing state in the region should have the opportunity to participate through recognised stakeholders, community structures and indigenous security networks who understand their terrain and have a direct stake in protecting national assets.

By decentralising pipeline protection contracts and allowing stakeholders in each Niger Delta state to take responsibility for protecting pipelines within their territories, the Federal Government will fragment potential high-security risks and achieve several important outcomes:

1. Improved grassroots intelligence and surveillance, as local communities understand their environment better than external actors.

2. Reduced crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, as host communities will feel a sense of ownership in protecting the infrastructure.

3. Strengthened peace and stability in the Niger Delta by eliminating the perception that the Federal Government favours certain individuals over others.

4. Economic empowerment and employment opportunities for thousands of Niger Delta youths, thereby reducing restiveness in the region.

5. Greater transparency and accountability in the management of pipeline protection operations.

It is also important to state that many respected elders and long-standing stakeholders across the Niger Delta are deeply unhappy with the current arrangement surrounding pipeline protection contracts. However, because of their patriotism , statesmanship and the shared responsibility they feel toward preserving peace in the region, many of them have chosen not to openly express their anger in ways that will undermine peace and national interest unlike before where every possible means necessary could have been deployed to express these grievances. 

But the reality is that the younger leaders and stakeholders are watching closely and the growing frustration over the perceived exclusion of the region’s ethnic nationalities could become a dangerous time bomb waiting to explode if not urgently addressed with fairness and inclusivity. There is obviously a palpable discontent brewing if not attended quickly could lead to something unexpected. The truth is that even those leaders who these greedy contractors like Tantita claims in official quarters that are working with them have openly expressed their displeasure over the disrespectful manner they have been treated. Most of them are just doing the little they because they don’t want conflict and better still allow strangers to infiltrate their environment which definitely would lead to crisis 

We believe it is important to clearly state that this situation is not the fault of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. From all indications, the current lopsided arrangement appears to have been influenced by the selfish decisions and narrow interests of the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, working in collaboration with a few greedy individuals from the Niger Delta who have chosen personal enrichment over the collective interest of the region.

The Coalition believes that the President may not have been fully briefed on the implications of concentrating such sensitive contracts in the hands of a few individuals while excluding the broader ethnic nationalities and host communities whose lands host the pipelines.

We must also raise a serious national concern that demands urgent attention.

During the peak of militancy and instability in the Niger Delta, Nigeria was producing between 2 million and 2.1 million barrels of crude oil per day. Today, the region is relatively more peaceful and yet billions of naira are reportedly being paid to a few individuals under the guise of pipeline protection.

Despite this enormous financial commitment, Nigeria is currently struggling to produce between 1.5 million and 1.7 million barrels per day.

This situation raises fundamental questions that Nigerians deserve answers to: Why is Nigeria producing less crude oil today despite relative peace in the Niger Delta and despite the huge resources being committed to pipeline protection?

Could it be that another large-scale oil theft operation is taking place somewhere beyond the knowledge of Nigerians?

These questions must be urgently addressed in the national interest.

The Coalition firmly believes that decentralizing pipeline protection contracts across the various Niger Delta states and ethnic nationalities will significantly strengthen accountability, improve surveillance and increase Nigeria’s oil production capacity.

If the protection architecture is properly decentralized and managed by genuine stakeholders in the region, Nigeria will be better positioned to achieve the ambitious oil production targets under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which aims to raise crude oil output to between 2.8 million and 3 million barrels per day.

We must also remind the Federal Government that 2027 is already around the corner. The Niger Delta ethnic nationalities are politically conscious and fully aware of the strategic role the region plays in shaping national political outcomes. If the present administration genuinely seeks the continued support and goodwill of the Niger Delta people, it must avoid playing politics with matters that directly affect the region’s security, dignity, and economic participation.

Furthermore, the Coalition strongly supports the ongoing probe by the National Assembly into issues surrounding pipeline protection contracts and crude oil theft. We urge the leadership of the National Assembly under Godswill Akpabio to ensure that this investigation is conducted with transparency, courage and fairness so as to redeem the integrity of the legislative institution.

We also caution the Chairman and members of the investigative committee to be vigilant against individuals and interests who have historically used the dangerous strategy of divide and rule to weaken the unity of the Niger Delta for their selfish economic and political gains.

The Niger Delta ethnic nationalities will no longer accept a system where opportunities that should benefit the entire region are cornered by a few individuals. The time has come for equity, fairness, and genuine stakeholder participation in the protection of our national assets.

The Coalition of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities remains committed to peace, stability and the protection of Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure. However, peace must never be mistaken for silence in the face of injustice.

We therefore call on the Federal Government to urgently decentralize pipeline protection contracts and allocate them fairly among stakeholders in each Niger Delta state in order to strengthen security, increase oil production, and sustain lasting peace in the region.

Signed:

Dr. Alaye Tari Theophilus,
President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.

Oghenekaro Tony Edor
President, coalition of Isoko youth Group,

Emmanuel Goteh Bieh
President, Ogoni federated youth.

LORD MARMON Knight
President, Ibom youth Council.

Comrade Ibiso Harry 
Chairman, ijaw youth Council, Eastern Zone.