By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
Niger Delta youth leader and security advocate, Comrade Efe Feludu O’Kwakpovwe, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to expedite the renewal and expansion of the pipeline surveillance contract with Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL).
In a statement issued in Warri, Delta State, O’Kwakpovwe stressed that renewing Tantita’s contract is essential to consolidating recent successes in curbing oil theft and vandalism in the region.
“I join millions of Niger Delta youths in urging President Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, and NNPCL leadership to reject divisive calls to dismantle the current contract structure. The Tantita contract should not only be renewed but expanded to cover more areas to prevent security lapses and halt the resurgence of illegal oil bunkering,” he said.
Reject Ethnic Division, Promote Synergy
O’Kwakpovwe cautioned against ethnic or political agendas that seek to undermine the efforts of Tantita Security Services. He urged sponsored individuals and groups to channel their energies toward constructive collaboration for the region’s security and development..
“Tantita has engaged more youths from diverse ethnic backgrounds than any other security outfit in the Niger Delta. We must support organizations that create employment, promote peace, and enhance regional security in partnership with the Federal and State Governments,” he added.
Tantita’s Track Record of Success
According to O’Kwakpovwe, Tantita has fully complied with its contract terms, securing key oil-producing states including Delta, Ondo, Imo, Rivers, and parts of Bayelsa. The company, he said, has built trust among various ethnic groups and traditional institutions in these areas.
Reflecting on the state of the region before Tantita’s intervention, he noted that Nigeria’s oil production had collapsed to under 900,000 barrels per day in the third quarter of 2022, far below OPEC’s 1.8 million barrels per day quota. This downturn, he said, triggered economic setbacks, environmental damage, job losses, and heightened insecurity, as criminal syndicates thrived on illegal oil activities.
However, since September 2022, when NNPCL awarded the surveillance contract to Tantita—a company established by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) and led by High Chief (Engr.) Kestin Pondi—the situation has dramatically improved. According to figures from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), crude oil production rose from 937,000 barrels per day in September 2022 to over 1.6 million barrels per day by June 2025, exceeding OPEC’s quota.
A Community-Driven Security Model
O’Kwakpovwe credited Tantita’s success to its community-driven model, combining advanced intelligence technology with the recruitment of youths from oil-producing communities. With support from traditional rulers and local leaders, these youths work in synergy with national security agencies to protect pipelines and oil facilities across mangroves, creeks, forests, and offshore areas.
Commendation for CSR and Youth Empowerment
The youth leader also lauded Tantita’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, describing the company as the only security firm actively investing in community development and youth empowerment across its operational areas.
O’Kwakpovwe, a petroleum engineer with over 15 years of industry experience, former National President of the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU), and former National Secretary of the Urhobo National Youth Body, appealed to community leaders to resist attempts by selfish individuals and politicians to instigate disunity using ethnic or land ownership issues.
“We must unite across ethnic lines to foster peace, promote equal opportunity, and create a secure environment for investment. This is how we can restore the lost economic vibrancy of once-thriving hubs like Koko, Agbor, Sapele, Effurun, Warri, and Ughelli—the heartbeat of the old Midwest State,” he concluded.
