MOSIEND Raises Fears Of Oil Thief Resurgence Over Delay Of Pipeline Surveillance Contract
The leadership of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), on Thursday raised serious concern over the continued delay in the renewal of pipeline surveillance contracts, warning that the vacuum poses grave economic, security, and social risks to the Niger Delta and the nation.
A statement issued by the National President, MOSIEND, Amb. Kennedy Tonjo West, said “Experience has shown that fragmented or exclusionary approaches to pipeline surveillance often result in heightened insecurity, increased oil theft, and widespread community dis-affections”
MOSIEND stresses that any move toward decentralization, if not carefully structured and inclusively implemented, risks creating a disjointed system that is difficult to coordinate, inefficient to manage, and vulnerable to abuse.
The group notes that reputable indigenous firms such as Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and Tantita Security Services Ltd have, over time, played a pivotal role in curbing crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, and environmental degradation.
The statement reads in parts “Their interventions have not only stabilized oil production and protected government revenue, but have also contributed to safer waterways and sustainable livelihoods for host communities”
The organization warns that the failure to renew these contracts promptly, alongside subtle pressures for decentralization and ongoing bureaucratic bottlenecks within the National Assembly and other departments of the government, threatens to reverse these gains.
The group further highlights the prevailing socio-economic pressures across the Niger Delta, including rising fuel costs, inflation, and widespread hardship.
“For many youths in host communities, engagement in pipeline surveillance operations has provided legitimate income and served as a deterrent against involvement in illegal activities”
A prolonged delay in contract renewal, therefore, risks pushing many back toward crude oil theft, with significant consequences for national revenue and regional stability.
While acknowledging the critical role of the military in securing the nation’s waterways, we emphasize that military efforts alone cannot achieve optimal results without the active collaboration of community-based surveillance structures. The synergy between formal security agencies and local operators has proven essential in sustaining peace and operational efficiency in the region.
MOSIEND therefore calls on the Federal Government to act with urgency and decisiveness by renewing the pipeline surveillance contracts without further delay.
Such decisions, the group insists, must be guided by measurable performance, proven capacity, and the overriding national interest, rather than political sentiment or narrow considerations.
The organization also urges proponents of decentralization to draw lessons from past failures and place collective progress above individual ambitions.
The Federal Government, MOSIEND concludes, has a clear opportunity to reinforce stability, protect national assets, and reaffirm its commitment to the people of the Niger Delta. Continued delay will only open the door to avoidable losses, renewed criminality, and deeper social instability.
