Niger Delta militants, activists reject vandalism, opt for negotiation

…Commend community engagement approach by PINL

More militant and activist groups have stepped out to reject violence or pipeline vandalism, now opting for negotiation and engagement.

This is as one of the groups has put forward what they say would eliminate violence and introduce prosperity in the oil region.

The ijaw group recently denounced militancy saying they have embraced peace and engagement.

Next, another group came up in the week to endorse negotiation over pipeline vandalism. By this, most observers say the era of pipeline vandalism may soon be over in the oil region as reason seems to prevail against vandalism.

An activist group says the people must move away from vandalism and fighting to negotiation, saying the new approach has fetched much to the Niger Delta.

Addressing what the group called ‘world press conference’ in Port Harcourt Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the Niger Delta Progressives Alliance (NDPA) led as president-general by Nse Victor Udoh, called for a new thinking that would fetch more for the region.

Udoh called on the major pipeline protection companies to close ranks in collaboration rather than competition.

He affirmed that his group and the progressives in the alliance have no interest in destroying pipelines. “We are negotiators, not fighters. Fighters run away but negotiators put forward their points and keep talking till they win. The Niger Delta has won a lot of things this way, though we are still pressing.”

He appealed to all groups in the region to note that advocacy must have a shift, saying pipeline surveillance must have a focus. “We must develop our perspective to pipeline surveillance in the region. We thus call for collaboration, not competition between the pipeline protection firms.

“We also want to see that the money meant for pipeline surveillance is building the communities through long-lasting projects and programmes such as scholarships to produce graduates, experts, skilled workers, etc.”

Besides, Udoh said, surveillance should not be a burden but benefit to the communities. The NDPA tabled a proposal; what he called an engagement system for empowerment of the populace of the host communities to avoid creating dependency syndrome in the communities usually caused by handing ceremonial tokens instead of solid programmes such as scholarships, skills, career support, etc.

The group also tabled what the president-general called ‘best surveillance approach’. He said: “Best surveillance is community-based vigilance.”

He commended the Pipeline Infrastructure Limited (PINL) which oversees Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, and Abia states known as the Eastern Corridor, saying they have a good template especially with their 646 scholarship offers so far in 215 communities.

“PINL approved 646 scholarships for youths across 215 host-communities along the Trans-Niger Pipeline corridor in Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo and Abia states.

For each of those 215 communities, PINL committed to three scholarship slots per community, ” Udoh said.

Udoh said: “We thus challenge Tantita group to adopt this template which has public reporting approach often done at stakeholders’ forums every often.

“There must be sustainability mechanism in what is given to communities so that those who get touched do not remain dependent every other circle but the process should bring new needy persons who will cross over to prosperity or sustainability after the touch. We say ‘no’ to repeating or recycling list of beneficiaries.”

He said what the region needs is creating layers of empowerment for prosperity in the Niger Delta. “You must turn surveillance project to investment, not cost.”

Read also: From militancy to consultancy: How Niger Delta ex-militants became govt contractors

Reacting to questions, Udoh said it is right to say they were asking for too much from the pipeline protection firms or that they were mistaking the roles of the firms by asking them to do what oil companies were meant to do through the PIA’s HCDT.

He said: “The protection firms are not business people drilling oil and making profit. Their fund and mandate are to focus on communities to end pipeline attacks and vandalism.”

PINL holds monthly stakeholders’ meetings to harvest inputs of host communities in its operational areas and review their engagement approaches. This has received wide commendations across communities and states.

Now, groups are calling on others especially Tantita to emulate the PINL template. NDPA at the media conference in Port Harcourt said the engagement by PINL has created community ownership of the projects.

The summit system by PINL and the widespread calls by groups for Tantita to follow suit seems to touch hearts because Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) held a “Community Critical Stakeholders’ Appreciation Ceremony” in Warri on Friday, October 17, 2025, at the KFT Event Centre. The event brought together dignitaries and community leaders to acknowledge their cooperation in fighting pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the Niger Delta.

The NDPA lauded Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), the surveillance firm responsible for protection of oil and gas facilities in the Eastern Corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) for always engaging host communities in its operations.

PINL holds monthly stakeholders’ meeting to harvest inputs of host communities in its operational areas of Rivers, Abia, Imo and Bayelsa States, and this seems to win over violent activists.

Udoh said: “After an assessment of the surveillance contract, NDPA came to the conclusion that PINL should be commended on it’s efforts at regular community engagement while Tantita has to begin to do so in Warri where it covers”.

The group emphasized that the surveillance contract should encourage healthy competition amongst the contractors and not attempt at the companies running each other down.

“NDPA publicly recognizes Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited for practices that aligned with this model of community engagement and empowerment. Public reporting shows and we have seen in our region that this same approach has been associated with improved security outcomes. PINL has moved with conviction.

The group added that PINL has formed strategic partnerships with the Office of the National Security Adviser to establish investigative and prosecutorial facilities, reinforcing both community-safety and infrastructure-protection.

On community engagement forums, NDPA stated that PINL convenes host-community stakeholders monthly to review operations, to solicit local input, and to align surveillance efforts with local well-being.

While commending the company, the group urged them to scale up, make their monitoring and community investment visible, accountable and replicable, saying “Your strategy is a template for how sustained empowerment can happen in the Niger Delta”.

NDPA on the other hand, challenged Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited to marry its operations with community development.

“NDPA addresses Tantita with respect and clarity. The region needs your operational competence married to a demonstrable, public commitment to community empowerment”.

Specifically, NDPA urged Tantita to; “Institute consistent, monthly community engagement sessions in Warri and surrounding host communities, with published minutes and clear action items.

“Publicly publish a short, independently verifiable plan within 30 days that mirrors the core components of the model described here: local employment targets, scholarship commitments, and community amenity projects.

“Enter active collaboration with peer surveillance operators and with recognised community groups to exchange best practices rather than adopt a purely competitive posture”.

The group noted that with the scale of job being handled by Tantita, its operations can effect meaningful changes in the region if it chooses to align its operational footprint with structured community investment, adding; “We encourage Tantita to make its community commitments transparent and to seek collaborative arrangements where other firms have demonstrated effective interventions”.