The Young Nigerian Rights Organisation has issued a plea to President Bola Tinubu, urging him not to terminate the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.
The plea is contained in a statement signed by the National Coordinator, Young Nigerian Rights Organisation, Victor Ojei (Popularly known as Wong Box Nigeria).
The organisation argued that the contract has been instrumental in bringing stability to the Niger Delta region, reducing oil theft and pipeline vandalism, and providing employment opportunities for local youths.
The organisation further noted that terminating the contract would reverse the fragile peace built in the region and disregard the needs and voices of the local communities.
According to the group, ”This is a plea for continuity: Tantita’s Pipeline Surveillance Contract Must Not Be Terminated.
”This contract is not just another Government arrangement. It is the single most effective intervention in recent times that has brought measurable stability to the Niger Delta.
”Let Tantita Security continue its work for the sake of peace and Progress in the South-South, ” the statement said.
The group also stated: ”As the cries of our region continue to echo through the creeks and communities of the Niger Delta, it is important we do not remain silent at a critical moment like this.
”The Young Nigerian Rights Organisation is deeply concerned about recent conversations and suggestions pushing for the termination of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, managed by Chief Kestin Pondi.
”This is not just another contract. It is a lifeline that has brought hope to communities that have long been neglected, exploited, and forgotten.
”Since Tantita took on the responsibility of protecting Nigeria’s pipelines especially in the South-South the difference has been undeniable. Our people have witnessed a dramatic reduction in oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
”Young people, particularly from the Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw, and Itsekiri communities, have found meaningful employment.
”The streets are quieter.The fear that once gripped villages has eased. And above all, oil production, which had been crippled by sabotage and criminality, has seen a noticeable rebound.
”These are not assumptions. They are lived experiences shared by the very people who would suffer the most if this contract is abruptly cancelled.
”We acknowledge that the Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) has expressed its position on the matter, but we respectfully ask: have the real voices of the communities on the ground been heard?
”Is it fair to disregard the thousands of Urhobo youths gainfully employed under Tantita’s operation, or the stability the region is finally beginning to enjoy?”, the pondered.
The organisation called for cooperation, dialogue, and collaboration among stakeholders to strengthen the existing peace and stability in the region, rather than risking conflict and instability by terminating the contract.
