Northern youth group urges Tinubu to retain Tantita pipeline surveillance contract The Northern Ethnic Youths Group Assembly (NEYGA) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resist calls for the cancellation of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), warning that such a move could trigger renewed unrest in the Niger Delta. In a statement signed by its spokesman, Mallam Dan-Musa Ibrahim, the group described the surveillance arrangement as effective in boosting Nigeria’s oil production and providing employment opportunities for thousands of youths in the Niger Delta. NEYGA called on the Federal Government to renew and sustain the contract, stressing that the initiative has helped curb crude oil theft and stabilise oil output in the region. “This is not just a contract; it is a massive job creation engine,” Ibrahim said. “Across Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and other states in the Niger Delta, thousands of youths who were previously vulnerable to criminal activities are now meaningfully engaged in protecting national assets.” The group noted that the surveillance framework implemented through Tantita and other indigenous security firms has significantly reduced oil theft, improved production levels and contributed to increased revenue inflows into the Federation Account. According to NEYGA, the initiative has also strengthened investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil sector by improving fiscal stability and operational security in the Niger Delta. “This is not conjecture; it is an empirical reality,” Ibrahim said, adding that involving local actors in a structured security framework has reduced incentives for sabotage while improving collaboration between communities and federal authorities. The group also highlighted the broader security implications, noting that militancy and agitation in the Niger Delta have historically been linked to economic marginalisation and disputes over oil resources. NEYGA argued that engaging local youths in legitimate employment has improved intelligence gathering and strengthened cooperation between host communities and security agencies, thereby promoting stability in the region. “We believe the company has earned continued support, even from stakeholders in the northern region,” Ibrahim added. The group cautioned that abrupt cancellation or major changes to the surveillance arrangement could reverse the gains recorded so far and potentially expose unemployed youths to criminal activities and sabotage. It therefore urged the Presidency to renew the contract while maintaining engagement with host communities, local security providers and federal agencies to consolidate the progress recorded under the current surveillance framework.