By Samuel Ogude
The Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON) has alleged that some influential officials within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited are plotting to frustrate the operations of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited by withholding funds meant for the company’s pipeline surveillance activities.
In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu and signed by the Chairman of HOSCON, HRM King Monday Whiskey, the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, the group called on the President to investigate those allegedly behind the development and take urgent action to avert what it described as a looming crisis in the Niger Delta. According to HOSCON, the alleged delay in funding has disrupted Tantita’s operations, resulting in salary arrears and operational challenges that could undermine efforts to safeguard the nation’s oil and gas assets.
The group claimed that workers and subcontractors of Tantita Security Services have allegedly remained unpaid for nearly four months, leading to growing dissatisfaction among staff and threats of industrial action. “We, the leadership of the Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSCON) Producing Oil and Gas, write to specifically draw your attention to a well-planned and orchestrated plot by some influential cabals at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to deliberately cause disorder in the Niger Delta,” the letter stated.
HOSCON further alleged that those behind the plot were individuals who had benefited from crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the past but were no longer able to operate due to Tantita’s surveillance activities. The group maintained that Tantita Security Services has played a significant role in protecting the nation’s oil infrastructure and restoring environmental sanity in the Niger Delta by combating crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
It warned that any attempt to weaken the company’s operations could reverse the gains recorded in the fight against oil theft and return the country to an era when illegal bunkering was widespread. The leadership of HOSCON commended the professionalism and commitment of Tantita Security Services, insisting that the people of the Niger Delta would not allow what it described as “unscrupulous elements” to undermine the company’s efforts for personal interests.
“We strongly condemn this alleged plot and believe that the sacrifices and risks undertaken by Tantita Security Services in protecting the nation’s assets should not be rendered futile by selfish individuals who do not mean well for Nigeria,” the letter added. HOSCON also urged the management of NNPC Limited and other relevant stakeholders to provide the necessary support for Tantita, noting that its personnel continue to face significant risks while protecting critical national infrastructure.
The group appealed to President Tinubu to urgently intervene by investigating the allegations and ensuring adequate funding for Tantita’s operations. It also vowed to continue exposing individuals or groups it believes are working against the success of the company’s surveillance mandate. HOSCON expressed confidence that sustained government support for Tantita Security Services would strengthen the fight against crude oil theft and contribute to increased oil production and national economic growth.