Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is with a deep sense of urgency, responsibility, and justice that I address you today on behalf of the people of the Niger Delta – a people who have long endured the exploitation of their land, their resources, and their future. Today, I stand to demand that you reject the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contracts, and instead, take bold action to decentralize this responsibility to the states major stakeholders and communities of the Niger Delta. It is time to right the wrongs of the past and place the power in the hands of the people.

For decades, the Niger Delta has been a silent victim of an oil theft operation that has been allowed to flourish unchecked. The heavyweight oil thieves – the same cabals who have profited off the blood, sweat, and tears of our people – continue to ravage our land. They have lined their pockets with Nigeria’s oil wealth while we remain trapped in poverty, underdevelopment, and environmental degradation. And now, Mr. President, they want you to renew their pipeline surveillance contracts. Do not fall for this deception!

The truth is clear: these contracts have never been about securing Nigeria’s pipelines; they have been about securing the interests of the same criminal syndicates that have stolen our nation’s wealth. The voices you hear begging you to renew the contracts are not speaking for the Niger Delta people. They are speaking for the heavyweight oil thieves – the very same people who have hijacked our resources, aided by corrupt NNPCL officials.

Mr. President, if you renew these contracts, you will empower the heavyweight oil thieves once again, ensuring that they can continue to steal and sell Nigeria’s crude oil with impunity. These individuals are not interested in protecting the pipelines; they are interested in protecting their own wealth and power. 

These same individuals orchestrated a protest to remove the present GMD of NNPCL and replace him with someone who would serve their interests, but their plan failed. Mr. President, don’t you think the Plan B - was the alleged coup plot because of the involvement of Timipre Sylva, who controls the central corridor of the pipeline security contracts ( Maton Engineering) ?

This concentration of power in the hands of a few individuals is extremely dangerous. It’s why they believe they are above the law and have resorted to unlawful actions like kidnapping, human trafficking, human rights abuses, illegal detentions in private prisons, killings, and even beheadings of Niger Delta people. The amount of unchecked wealth in their hands has made them feel invincible and untouchable.

But we will not sit quietly while these criminals continue to hold us hostage. These so-called civil society groups, politicians, and influencers pushing for the renewal of these contracts are no friends of the Niger Delta. Where were they when our people were being kidnapped, tortured, killed, and beheaded by the same criminal networks they now seek to empower? Where were they when our communities were being destroyed by violence, terror, and illegal prisons? They were silent, complicit, and absent. Now, they come forward pretending to speak for the people. Their hypocrisy is glaring!

Let me be clear: they do not care about the Niger Delta or its people. They care only about their own pockets and power. The civil society organizations, media houses, and activists supporting the renewal of these contracts have been bought and paid for by the same people who have been stealing from us. They do not speak for the people; they speak for the thieves. They do not fight for justice; they fight for money. They want the pipeline surveillance contracts renewed because it guarantees them more profit, not because it will help the people of the Niger Delta.

Mr. President, it is time to reject their demands and stand with the people of the Niger Delta. The true path forward for Nigeria is to decentralize the pipeline surveillance contracts, to place control in the hands of the major stalkholders of various states. The Niger Delta people have suffered for far too long.

Decentralizing the pipeline surveillance contracts is the only way forward. By doing so, you will weaken the power of the oil thieves who have profited from our suffering for long. You will empower the people of the Niger Delta to take control of their land, protect their communities, and ensure that the wealth from our resources benefits us, not the corrupt few. This is not just a fight for justice – this is a fight for survival, for dignity, and for the future of our children.

Do not let them deceive you with their false promises of security. The pipeline surveillance companies like Tantita are not working for the good of the people; they are working to protect the heavyweight oil thieves in the terminals. They are not securing pipelines – they are enabling theft. The renewal of these contracts will only perpetuate the cycle of corruption and exploitation that has held Nigeria back for so long.

Mr. President, if you truly want to make a difference and stand firm against the corruption that has plagued our nation, you must terminate these contracts. You must ensure that the pipeline surveillance and protection contracts are awarded to responsible, transparent entities that will genuinely serve the interests of the Niger Delta people—entities that are not running away from accountability and transparency.

Mr. President, the time to act is now. It’s time to decentralize the pipeline surveillance contracts and empower the Niger Delta people. Together, we can build a new Nigeria—one that truly values its people, its resources, and its future.

Tare Diseimoh, Spokesperson for the Niger Delta People Mandate.