WARRI — Comrade Freeborn Abraye, National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Advocates for Peace, Development, and Economic Justice (NDAPDEJ), has addressed the ongoing public debate regarding the crude oil pipeline surveillance contract awarded to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo, through his firm, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.

In a direct message to various interest groups and individuals claiming entitlement to the contract’s proceeds, Abraye clarified that the pipeline surveillance arrangement is a specific corporate engagement between Tantita and the Federal Government/NNPC Limited—not an umbrella welfare package or reward fund for the region’s historical agitation.

“All those who claim to have fought for the interest and development of Ijaw Nation and Niger Delta should go to the Ijaw National Congress (INC) or PANDEF to demand for their so-called rewards, and not Tompolo,” Abraye stated.

Since the inception of the contract with Tantita Security Services, several groups and individuals across the Niger Delta have argued that the surveillance deal was a direct byproduct of the collective Niger Delta struggle. Citing this rationale, various actors have called for the contract to be decentralized or redistributed among former freedom fighters and regional stakeholders.

However, the NDAPDEJ leadership pushed back on this narrative, stressing the critical distinction between private commercial contracts aimed at securing economic infrastructure and established socio-cultural institutions designed to advocate for regional welfare.

Key points highlighted in the statement include:

• Separation of Entities: Tantita is a private corporate entity contracted to fulfill specific contractual obligations (monitoring, securing, and protecting critical oil infrastructure), rather than a fund distribution agency.
• Channels for Regional Claims: Advocacy bodies such as the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) remain the recognized socio-cultural organs tasked with addressing regional grievances, development agendas, and collective interests.
• Refocusing Agitation: Individuals seeking recognition or patronage based on past contributions to the Niger Delta cause should engage apex socio-cultural organs rather than demanding financial dividends or sub-contracts from a private security vendor.

Abraye concluded by urging regional stakeholders to support initiatives aimed at curbing oil theft and stabilizing the economy, rather than creating unnecessary friction over commercial operational mandates.