News
Disclose Names Of Oil Thieves, Tompolo Urged …As TSSNL Uncovers Illegal Export Pipeline
An international environmentalist and rights campaigner, Alhaji Musa Saidu, has called on Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), operated by a former ex-militant leader, Chief Ekpemupolo Government aka Tompolo, to make public the names of oil thieves he claimed to have, saying it would strengthen the war against oil theft.
Saidu, who is coordinator and special envoy, Ecology, and Marine, Africa of the International Rights Commission (IHRC), said Tompolo’s alleged recent discoveries of secret pipelines operated by oil thieves were posing more questions than answers for the ex-militant leader, the Nigerian National Petroleum CompanyLimited (NNPCL) and some corporate stakeholders in the oil and gas sector.
He said the pipelines obviously were not built over night, stressing that they had been visible to all before they were tagged as discovered secret pipelines.
Saidu also spoke on the crisis between Kogi State House of Assembly and Dangote Cement Plc in Obajana, saying the federal, Kogi State governments and Dangote should seek peaceful resolution of the matter.
Describing Kogi State as a business-friendly state, Saidu said those trying to allegedly politicise the whole issue should stop, adding that steps should also be taken to address the allegations of health challenges arising from industrial pollution.
“Those who want to politicise it are hypocrites. The community has right under natural law. For the community to go to the assembly is a show that they are matured. The management of the firm should go and meet the state and the federal governments and settle it peacefully. Kogi State is very friendly to companies.
“The government should intervene for all to be settled peacefully. People should not politicise this. It is a simple thing that can be settled peacefully.”
Meanwhile, operatives of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) and security officials have uncovered a key illegal underwater pipeline and platform connected to the 48–inch Trans-Forcados Export Trunk Line in Delta State from which bunkers, together with government and security accomplices, directly siphon cleaned crude oil into ships and export overseas.
The unearthing of the criminal pipeline and platform attached to the trunk line, operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), is a major breakthrough in the renewed bid by the Federal Government, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Ministry of Defense, and other stakeholders to stop oil theft in the country.
Sources said professionals fabricated the illegal pipeline attached to a crude oil pipeline abandoned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC), and bunkers generously pump cleaned crude oil into their own vessels from the nation’s Trans-Forcados pipeline at the rear of a military post in Ogulagha, BurutuLocal Government Area of Delta State.
SPDC operates the Forcados Terminal in Ogulagha which has a nameplate capacity to export 400,000 barrels per day.
It takes delivery of crude from the Forcados Oil Pipeline System and is the second largest pipeline network in the oil-producing region after the Bonny Pipeline System in the eastern Niger Delta.
Some IOCs and Nigerian independents operating in the western Niger Delta pump oil to the Forcados Oil Terminal through the pipeline for export.
The newest discovery is like the earlier illegal 4-km pipeline also attached to the same Trans–Forcados Export Trunk Line, earlier discovered by Tantita operatives.
However, the Oil Spill Victims Initiative (OSPVI) has threatened to sue NNPCL and SPDC over the illegal pipeline connections used to siphon the country’s crude oil.
Marine Intelligence Consultant to TSSNL, Captain Warren Enisuoh, who briefed journalists in Ogulagha on the discovery, yesterday, said: “What has happened was that the perpetrators of this organised crime attached pipeline into a Shell Petroleum Development Company 48-inch export line. The crude in this line has been cleaned up and is ready to go.
“So, they tapped into it, the place was initially filled with water, but, technologically, there were able to connect their own pipe underwater.
“We trotted the line on foot to the point it was tapped, we had to create something on either side of the pipeline so that the water could be pumped out.
“For days, we pumped the water out before the illegality was exposed. You see that riser behind me is operated by another joint venture company called AGIP, so, these fellows piped the crude through the abandoned oil field that belongs to AGIP, which they used to pipe crude oil to the Beniboye Flow Station.
“What happened is that instead of piping crude to Beniboye Flow Station, the oil bunkers export crude.
‘That particular jacket you see outside there is a very old one, they cut the Agip line, connected their own through the extreme riser out to that other jacket.
“Then, at night, the usual thing happens, which is that they bring ships to that particular platform, connect their modernized lines to the ships, which they bring in, and off they go from there.
“Well, they are not smarter than Nigeria, NNPCL, Tantita. We discovered this about a week ago, and we had to employ a whole lot of machinery to be able to bring you (reporters) in to see it. It is not a yesterday thing.
“We knew about the platform and started working on it when we had the support of NNPCL and the government. Nigeria has suffered enough; we have to stop these illegalities.
“The distance from the illegality to the point we are standing is about one kilometre and from here to the jacket is approximately four kilometres.
“Therefore, what they do… because the whole line is a six-inch pipe, each time they pump, they open their own valve and the crude stored on this line; then, they close if off so that when their ships are sucking, you would not feel the effect from the pressure on the other side.
“Therefore, it is a smart design, I do not know how long. With the intelligence we have been getting about ships coming to that particular area, which led to this find, it has been going on for a while, more a year perhaps.
“We share our intelligence with the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta and Operation Delta Safe.”
The General Manager of Joint Venture Operations, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Zakariya Budawara, also briefed reporters on the incident.
Budawara said, “NNPCL has been on its toes in trying to bring stability to the host community. And the host community has been helpful in trying to see that we secure all oil and gas facilities, especially the one we saw, which has to do with the crude evacuation line.
“Today, for me, is just any other day, but we feel that the media should come and see the efforts of the NNPCL, stakeholders, including the community, government security agencies, private and community contractors, especially the one in the western corridor, Tantita, are making. Tantita has been doing a great job, all these we are doing to assure Nigerians that we are working to curb crude oil theft.
“We know the direct impact on the revenue and on the people of the host communities and the environment.
“All you have seen is in demonstration of the collaborative efforts of everybody. Nobody can do it alone; it is the efforts of all the stakeholders. I am here on behalf of the Group Managing Director, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, and his lieutenants.”
Sources explained that some International Oil Companies (IOCs), oil bunkers, and security officials jointly steal crude oil through the major pipeline connected to the 48-inch Export Trunk Line through an abandoned pipeline belonging to NAOC.
A group of Eminent persons from the Niger Delta region under the aegis of The Niger Delta Watch Dog has warned the Federal Government against yielding to the call to decentralize pipeline surveillance in the region.
The Eminent persons who said this in a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt said those calling for decentralization of pipeline surveillance are ignorant of the dangers it poses to the peace and stability of the Niger Delta.
.They argued that the proposal poses significant risk to the peace security and economic stability of the region.
According to the release” While decentralization is often perceived as a means of promoting inclusivity and local participation, in this specific context it poses significant risks to peace, security, and economic stability.
It further said”evidence from community dynamics across the region suggests that decentralization will cause more harm than good, leading to increased conflict, fragmentation of authority, and heightened threats to critical national infrastructure.
“By contrast, the centralized model currently implemented by Tantita Security Services under the leadership of Government Ekpemupolo Tompolo has demonstrated measurable success in stabilizing the region, reducing conflict, and safeguarding Nigeria’s economic lifelines”
While describing the Niger Delta region as the backbone of Nigeria oil and gas, it added that any changes in policy will lead to crisis in the region.
“The Niger Delta region remains the backbone of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, hosting extensive pipeline networks that are vital to national revenue and economic sustainability.
“Given the sensitive nature of this infrastructure, the framework through which pipeline security is managed must prioritize stability, coordination, and conflict prevention.
“Any policy shift particularly toward decentralization must therefore be carefully evaluated in light of the region’s socio-political realities”
It said
The release jointly signed by Chief Idowu Asonja ,Ellington Pokumo the Public Relations officer of the group Comrade Douye kojo Isoun and others,
said decentralization will lead to escalation of Inter-Community land dispute, intensifies rivalry between groups as well as heightens the struggle against Territorial control among others.
“Decentralizing pipeline security will likely intensify existing disputes between neighbouring communities as many communities in the Niger Delta have been involved in conflicts over Land ownership and territorial boundaries as well as Control of natural resources and
“Claims over oil pipelines passing through their territories” adding
“Such instability not only disrupts social harmony but also directly endangers pipeline infrastructure, increasing the risk of vandalism, sabotage, and production losses”
It said the gains recorded so far by the present centralization policy should be preserve as any shifts could wrecked havoc in the region.
“Any policy shift must preserve these hard-earned gains. At this time, decentralization presents a significant risk, while the current system continues to offer stability, security, and economic assurance for the nation.
“It is therefore strongly advised that the Federal Government of Nigeria carefully scrutinize and ultimately disregard calls for the decentralization of pipeline security contracts. “Available evidence and prevailing realities suggest that such calls may not be driven by the broader national interest, but rather by narrow, self-serving agendas that could reignite conflict within the region, this we know the Government does not need” the group said
The Director-General of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (RSIPA), Dr. Chamberlain Peterside, has used the platform of the revived BRACED Commission to unveil investment opportunities and plans in Rivers State.
The BRACED Commission just bounced back and has already held a roundtable in Port Harcourt preparatory to an economic summit in the near future.
The roundtable featured the investment promotion agencies of the cooperating states: Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta states.
Dr Peterside not only chaired the roundtable but made presentations for Rivers State economic landscape.
He hailed the rebound of the BRACED Commission which did well at the onset. “The governors of the region were one and united for one cause. Then, politics came and everything scattered. The agenda is simple, to integrate the economy of the region into one strong bloc.”
He admitted that Rivers State’s investment promotion agency is very young, plus six months in the limbo of state of emergency. “This thus is a very unique opportunity to get resurgent momentum.”
He listed the achievements of RSIPA in the short period since its establishment, saying it has received numerous investment proposals.
“We’ve engaged actively with the private sector, both those currently operating in the state and those intending to invest. We do realize the fact that investment begins from domestic investors. and you have to guide them.
“Through outreach programmes and establishment of a One-Stop-Center (OSC), we have created a streamlined system for addressing investor needs, supporting their business operations. For the first time in Rivers State, prospective investors and small and medium enterprises now have a centralized hub that can address their challenges and find solutions that enable them to thrive.”
He outlined the plans ahead thus: “One of our cardinal focuses at RSIPA is to enhance the operating climate and improve the ease of doing business.
“We are committed to creating a vibrant and business-friendly environment that attracts and retains investment. We are also working closely with other ministries, departments, and agencies to harmonize our activities.
“Collaboration for us is key; we see Rivers State as a single ecosystem where all stakeholders work together to support investment inflow and build a favorable environment for businesses to flourish.”
For the region, he lamented the situation whereby “the carpet is shifting under our feet. The IOCs (international oil corporations) have moved offshore. The issue before us now is how should the region act now. We should target big ticket investment proposals. This is because some proposals will involve other states. There is thus need to collaborate.”
He gave examples of projects that cannot be for one state. “Railway system is not for one state. At the moment, there is no railway line that links Benin to Port Harcourt to Calabar. BRACED can push this agenda.
“There is an oil route from Opobo to Akwa Ibom where Sterling Oil is operating. It’s a route of interest. Governor Sim Fubara wants us to synergise with other states economically. The best time is now because all the governors are now in one political party.”
He called on all the agencies in the BRACED states to sell the idea to their governors.
“Let the governors know that BRACED task is not a competition but as a collaboration. We have the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the South-South Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SSCCIMA), the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines, and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), etc. This is the ripest time to strike the iron.”
The Director General of the Bayelsa Investment Promotion Agency (BIPA), Mrs. Patience Ranami Abah, also shook the floor when she presented what she termed ‘Closing the Value Capture Gap’.
She showed how the states will win bigger by playing together to present an economic front.
David Franklin, a deputy director, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Abuja, said investment in people is the beginning of prosperity.
“The South-South is the hub of power of Nigeria due to the hydrocarbon industry, blue economy, agriculture, tourism, etc.”
The Director General, BRACED Commission, Amb.Joe Keshi, in his welcome remarks, said the roundtable was themed around synchrosnising investment frontiers in a strategic framework for south-south economic integration.
The roundtable ended with a communique that recommended setting up a monitoring committee, and other organs to drive integration and investment.
Some of the key resolutions in the Communique issued at the end of the two-day symposium included the call for a BRACED Investment Promotion Charter with a harmonized Regional Investment Promotion Framework and a roadmap.
The Communique called for infrastructure alignment, uniform economic reforms, human capital development plan, and a technical oversight group.
The communique urged state governments, investors, and development partners to collaborate in transforming the BRACED states into a beacon of economic dynamism.
The Defence Headquarters has placed troops on nationwide alert ahead of the Easter celebrations, assuring Nigerians of tightened security.
The DHQ also reaffirmed that ongoing support from the United States is strengthening counter-terrorism operations, with a visible impact expected in the coming weeks.
Addressing journalists during the end-of-the-month briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, assured citizens of heightened vigilance by troops during the Easter celebrations.
Onoja said the Armed Forces had already placed personnel on alert nationwide to prevent any security breach during the holiday period.
He added that similar measures were implemented during previous festive seasons, including Christmas and Eid-el-Fitr, and would be sustained.
“We know that festive seasons usually have heightened security activities. The military command gives instructions to ensure all personnel are on alert. This time will not be different,” he said.
He emphasised that security agencies would not relax despite the celebrations, noting that adversaries often attempted to exploit such periods.
“I can assure you that we will always be on alert, particularly at this period of festivities, because we know that the threats expect us to relax.
“But we are not going to relax. Everything will be okay for this Easter,” he added.
Speaking on the ongoing collaboration with the US forces, Onoja said the impact of the collaboration may not be immediately visible due to the nature of military engagements, but expressed confidence that the benefits would become evident in the coming weeks and months.
He said the U.S. support to Nigeria’s operations had been significant, particularly in the areas of intelligence sharing and training, noting that the assistance was being provided on favourable terms to strengthen ongoing counter-threat operations.
According to him, “You are aware that they are bringing intelligence and training support to us, which we need. They are giving that to us on very favourable terms. There are lots of things I cannot say because of confidentiality.”
He added that the intelligence being provided included information on the location of threats and hostile elements, stressing that Nigerian troops would act accordingly.
“All we can say is that these things take time. There is a gestation period when we are conducting military operations.
“You will not see it immediately, but in the next few months or weeks, you will feel the difference in the impact of the assistance that the U.S. is providing,” Onoja stated.
On February 16, 2026, DHQ confirmed the arrival of approximately 100 US military personnel and equipment at Bauchi Airfield.
According to the military high command, the personnel, who are not combat troops, were in Nigeria strictly for technical assistance, training, and advisory roles in counter-terrorism efforts.
However, insecurity has continued to surge in several parts of the country since their deployment, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the collaboration.