By Obinna Uballa
A legal practitioner and security expert, Blessing Agbomhere, has urged President Bola Tinubu to revoke the controversial pipeline surveillance contract linked to former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Agbomhere argued that the arrangement, said to be worth $144 million, is unethical, as according to him, the country needs a more transparent and institutional framework for securing petroleum pipelines across the Niger Delta.
Agbomhere, in a communication addressed to the President, the National Security Adviser and the leadership of the National Assembly, said Nigeria must avoid creating a security architecture that relies heavily on private networks rather than formal state institutions.
According to him, while protecting oil pipelines is critical to the country’s economic survival, the government must ensure that such responsibilities are handled through mechanisms that promote accountability and transparency.
The surveillance programme, coordinated through Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited – a firm linked to Tompolo – and other indigenous contractors, has remained one of the most politically sensitive security arrangements in Nigeria’s oil sector.
The New Diplomat had reported that Tompolo is fighting to retain the lucrative contract as the Tinubu administration reassesses Nigeria’s strategy for tackling crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
For years, Tompolo’s network has been responsible for monitoring pipelines and reporting illegal bunkering activities in key oil-producing communities, drawing both praise and criticism from different quarters.
Supporters of the arrangement argue that the system has helped curb crude oil theft and restore Nigeria’s oil production by leveraging local intelligence and community-based surveillance networks in difficult terrain.
However, critics have repeatedly questioned the sustainability of outsourcing sensitive security functions to private organisations linked to influential regional figures.
One of the most vocal critics, activist Zik Gbemre, argued in an opinion article on Friday that the pipeline surveillance arrangement raises troubling ethical and governance questions.
In the piece titled “When Crime Becomes a Contract: The Tompolo and Tantita Surveillance Controversy,” Gbemre said the decision to award surveillance contracts to individuals previously linked to pipeline vandalism risks sending the wrong message about accountability.
According to him, the development creates the perception that criminal activity can ultimately lead to negotiation, recognition and financial reward rather than prosecution.
He argued that if individuals once associated with oil theft are now being paid to prevent the same crime, the arrangement could undermine public confidence in the government’s anti-corruption and security policies.
Beyond the historical concerns, the activist said the key issue now revolves around value for money and transparency.
He questioned whether the services provided under the contract justify the reported N48 billion annual cost and called for clear evidence that the arrangement is delivering measurable results in the fight against crude oil theft.
Gbemre also warned that outsourcing the protection of strategic national infrastructure to actors previously linked to the threat could blur the line between enforcement and coercion.
According to him, reports that some individuals associated with the surveillance network have allegedly threatened to resume pipeline vandalism if the contract is revoked further deepen public concern.
“If such threats are verified,” he argued, “they would reinforce fears that the arrangement may resemble a protection racket rather than a sustainable security solution.”
The activist also pointed to public displays of wealth by some individuals reportedly connected to the surveillance structure, including lavish celebrations and property acquisitions in parts of Delta State, which he said have raised questions about the sources of funding.
