Leaders of former Niger Delta agitators, alongside the Niger Delta Stakeholders Forum (NDSF), have called on the Federal Government to urgently review the structure of the pipeline surveillance contract, currently awarded to a single individual.

Speaking at the palace of King Ateke Michael Tom, Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, the leaders, including General Shoot-at-Sight and General Boy Loaf, urged the government to decentralise the contract.

They argued that the job should be distributed among qualified leaders from each of the nine states in the region to ensure fairness and effectiveness.

Speaking, Shoot-at-Sight urged President Bola Tinubu to abandon plans to delay the review of the contract until after the 2027 elections, describing the arrangement as deceitful.

He noted that different states have qualified leaders and structures to provide pipeline security, adding that handing the entire job to one person is demeaning to other agitators who fought for the freedom of the region.

He said, “We were doing this job state by state under Jonathan. When the next president came, he made it political and cancelled it. We have been on this matter for years. Last year, we were given hope that the work would return to a state-by-state arrangement before the election, but till now, we have not seen anything.

“Who are the leaders that agreed to this? We were not part of such a meeting and are not aware of it. Since 2022, this job has been given to one person.

“When we carried out disarmament in 2009, Nigeria’s oil production increased when the contract was split. Since it was awarded to only one person, oil production has not improved.

“We are saying that the contract should be split. Then, there were employment quotas for each state, but now most of the jobs are concentrated in Abuja.

“Now, we see that the job is for politicians. That is not the original design.”

Also speaking, General Boy Loaf urged President Tinubu to decentralise the contract to secure the support of former agitators and stakeholders in the region.

He said, “If the President truly wants to achieve his goals in 2027, he must show goodwill, because one person cannot deliver. Nobody should deceive him.

“What we are advising Mr President is to show goodwill to the people of the Niger Delta. This contract should be split. There is no way another person can control your territory. We are not a conquered people.

“In this job, the President needs to do the right thing. What is happening in Abuja is that politicians are making more input than the people who paid the price.”

However, the Secretary General of NDSF, Theophilus Tari Alaye, who addressed journalists after the meeting, said the call was aimed at ensuring continued peace and stability in the Niger Delta.

Alaye said stakeholders were not aware of any meeting with President Tinubu where it was agreed that decentralisation of the surveillance contract should be delayed until after the elections.

He dismissed reports that leaders had met with the President and resolved to postpone decentralisation.

He stated that the process should be implemented immediately to build trust between stakeholders and the Federal Government.

He said, “We have a group of faceless individuals who are spreading false information to the President for personal gain.

“This is the highest forum as far as the Niger Delta is concerned, and any engagement without us is void. This forum cuts across the entire region, especially ex-agitators, and has strong influence on security and stability.

“These leaders had earlier met with Mr President and agreed that the pipeline surveillance job is large and should be decentralised on a state basis. That remains the position of stakeholders across the Niger Delta.

“Anyone giving contrary information is not speaking for the people of the Niger Delta.

“The stakeholders present here are making it clear that the information in the public space is false and unacceptable.

“Mr President told us he inherited the situation. At the time, the contract had expired and needed to be renewed, which informed his decision. He believed stakeholders were carried along.

“Giving the contract to one person is not in the interest of the Niger Delta. We need an environment that attracts investors so our youths can have employment opportunities. We want this implemented immediately.

“For the interest of national peace and to boost production to about 2.5 million barrels per day, the contract must be decentralised.

“We do not want oil facilities tampered with, as it damages the environment.

“We believe Mr President will listen to the voice of Niger Delta stakeholders and do the needful.” (Tribune)