Ijaw National Youth Council Demands Pipeline Monitoring Deal Be Taken Out of Central Control

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The Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently decentralize the pipeline surveillance contract currently handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, citing the need for inclusivity, equity, and sustainable peace across oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.

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In a statement issued today in Warri, Delta State by its national president Comrade Appearance Afejuke noted that the current arrangement of monopolization of pipeline surveillance operations risks alienating other critical stakeholders, particularly host communities whose cooperation is essential for the protection of vital oil and gas infrastructure.

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According to Afejuke, decentralizing the surveillance contract would
empower indigenous youths across different ethnic nationalities unconditionally and
create broader employment opportunities, strengthen intelligence gathering through community participation and reduce inter-community rivalry.

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The Council further urged relevant government agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, to engage widely with stakeholders to design a more balanced and representative surveillance structure.

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“We believe that sustainable security in the Niger Delta can only be achieved when all host communities are carried along.

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“No single entity should lord over a responsibility that directly affects multiple ethnic groups and territories.

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” We are commitment to peace, development, and the protection of national assets in the region”.

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