Niger Delta stakeholders, under the aegis of Niger Delta Congress, NDC, have called for an immediate, thorough and independent forensic audit of the pipeline protection contract initiated by the Federal Government.

The contract, meant to check oil theft, is being handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, owned by ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo. In recent days, several groups and individuals in the Niger Delta have been demanding a restructuring of the contract, faulting the situation whereby only one entity is handling the entire project.

In a statement signed by Comrade Godfrey Onade, the Niger Delta Congress, NDC, said the contract, reportedly valued at $144 million annually, has not effectively curbed oil theft or delivered sustainable improvements in crude production, as hoped.

According to the stakeholders, Tantita’s operatives are finding it difficult accessing remote swampy areas in the Niger Delta, a development which they said has left extensive creek networks exposed, allowing illegal bunkering and refining to continue unabated.

They noted that the monopolistic nature of the contract has made it less effective.

“The monopoly model is fundamentally flawed and ineffective. Even its defenders have conceded that the company cannot cover certain remote and swampy territories, resulting in persistent vulnerabilities across our intricate creek systems,” the statement said.

The stakeholders pointed to ongoing weekly discoveries of illegal pipeline connections and refineries by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, as clear evidence that surveillance remains patchy and inadequate.

“Despite the enormous expenditure, Nigeria’s crude output continues to fall below critical benchmarks, averaging around 1.46 million barrels per day in recent months, dipping as low as 1.31 million bpd in February 2026 according to OPEC figures—well short of the 1.5 million bpd quota and the federal budget target of 1.84 million bpd,” the statement said, highlighting production shortfalls in crude production.

The Niger Delta Congress argued that persistent theft continues to drain national revenue, contradicting claims of drastic reductions.

The stakeholders said the contract should be terminated if the audit confirms failures in the implementation of the project.

They called for a shift to a transparent, decentralized model involving multiple local operators and full integration with national security forces.

“We call for a thorough audit of the activities of Tantita to uncover the true extent of its performance and financial dealings.

“If the right thing is not done promptly, the Niger Delta Congress will have no choice but to proceed to court to compel the appropriate authorities to act in the national interest,” the statement added.