By Olakunle Oke
The Southern Ijaw Unity Forum has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against retaining the centralised model of awarding crude oil pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta.
The socio-cultural body argued that Nigeria has recorded little or no progress in tackling oil theft and pipeline vandalism since the surveillance scheme was first introduced under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Timothy Amadiowei, the forum accused successive administrations of disregarding sound advice, allowing oil theft to thrive despite reforms brought about by the Petroleum Industry Act.
Amadiowei said the persistence of crude oil theft continues to undermine efforts to unlock the benefits of the Act and resuscitate the country’s economy. He called on President Tinubu, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Ojulari, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to “correct the mistakes of the past administration” by embracing decentralisation.
“The only solution to oil theft and illegal refining of petroleum products is decentralisation, because nobody is happy with the anomalies on ground,” the forum declared.
It maintained that engaging stakeholders and ex-agitators with a deep knowledge of the terrain was essential if government intends to put an end to illegal bunkering.
“Let everybody secure their own domains,” Amadiowei said. “If anybody is doing illegal bunkering in my community, I know them and I know how to deal with them, but a stranger does not. If you are from Delta State, stay in Delta and secure the pipelines in your area. If you are from Rivers, stay in Rivers, and if you are from Bayelsa, stay in Bayelsa.”
The group cautioned against awarding the surveillance of the entire Niger Delta to a single contractor, stressing that dividing the jobs among key actors would guarantee broader coverage and stronger accountability.
“This is the time to share it among major stakeholders so they can cover the whole area and put an end to oil theft,” Amadiowei added.
Communities and stakeholders across the six oil-producing states have repeatedly pressed the Federal Government to decentralise the surveillance contracts, insisting that such an approach would not only safeguard oil and gas assets but also help reduce insecurity along waterways.