The Committee for Transparency and Good Governance (CTGG) has strongly called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to exclude Urhobo land territory from the surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
The group argued that the Urhobo people possess competent and capable sons and daughters who are fully able to handle such responsibilities, in line with the Local Content Act.
According to CTGG, in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Comrade Onos Austin, awarding the contract to a non-Urhobo son
within Urhobo land amounts to a disregard for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010—particularly Sections 1, 3(1 & 2), 6, and 15. The group believed this decision sidelines qualified locals, undermining national efforts to empower host communities and encourage genuine local content participation.
CTGG further urged government officials from the region, particularly those serving at the federal level, to prioritize the interests of their people. The group specifically appealed to the Minister of Aviation to focus on infrastructural and developmental gains for Urhobo land rather than becoming entangled in surveillance slot negotiations.
The statement read: “The Urhobo people are bonafide indigenes and citizens of Nigeria, they are not second-class citizens and they will never play the second fiddle to anybody or nationality. They are expected to benefit from the goodies from the oil being produced in their land and not only suffer the risk, danger, degradation and pollution of their environment resulting from oil exploration and exploitation of oil in Nigeria.
“We know that we are being oppressed and marginalised in the country but there is a limit to which the Urhobos can take it. We would not allow the Urhobo people to be insulted and stretched beyond their elasticity of patience in the name of being good citizens of Nigeria. In 2008, the owner of Tantita, Mr. Government Ekpemukpolo alia Tompolo was declared wanted by the Federal Government when it was alleged that his group, MEND killed 11 soldiers, he was later granted amnesty and rewarded with a government contract and no Ijaw community was attacked by the military.
“However, when an unfortunate incident occurred in Okuama in Urhobo land, the entire community was almost wiped out, the Okuama community leaders are still in military custody for an offence that has not been proved to have been committed by them, they are still being held vicariously.
“CGGT called on all Urhobo patriots to rise up to this challenge and boldly say no to the short-changing, marginalisation and oppression of the Urhobo people in Nigeria and also say no to the continuation of the collaboration between the former NNPCL GMD, Mele Kyary and Tompolo (Tantita) to feather their nest.
“It should be noted that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 at section 257(2) placed an obligation on Host communities to protect and safeguard oil facilities in their areas, failing which is attached with a penalty of reduction in funds, PIA Act provide thus; where in any year, there is an act of vandalism, sabotage or other civil unrest which causes damage to petroleum and designated facilities or disrupts production activities of a Settlor within a host community, the costs of repairs of such damage shall be forfeited by the host communities.”
The group asked that how can such a contract of surveillance be given to a non-indigene and you expect the community to be punished for any failure?
Highlighting Section 257(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which places the onus of oil facility protection on host communities, the group asked: “How can such responsibility be placed on the community, yet the surveillance contract is awarded to outsiders? If any sabotage occurs, the cost of repairs is to be deducted from host communities’ entitlements—yet they are not involved in the safeguarding process?”
The group warned that the Federal Government should not be promoting militancy, that if their concerns continue to be ignored, they may consider non-violent civil actions, including the disruption of oil operations in the area. “We will no longer accept being treated as second-class stakeholders in our own land. Equity and inclusion must guide decisions in Nigeria’s oil-producing regions,” the statement added.
