Pipeline Decentralisation: Stakeholders Warn Tinubu Over Fresh Conflict in N’Delta

President Bola Tinubu has been urged to address policy imbalances in the Niger Delta that could spark a new conflict, particularly regarding oil and gas pipeline surveillance contracts.

The Niger Delta Stakeholders Forum and the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities issued a communiqué after a strategic meeting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening.

The communiqué states that signs of conflict in the region are rising unless the government takes pre‑emptive action to address the evident concerns.

Signed by Dr. Alaye Tari Theophilus (President, Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide), Mammoth Knight (President, Ibom Youth Council), Henry Assor (Ikwerre Youth Assembly), Joseph Etim Antai (National President, Oro‑Obolo Youth Assembly), Usiwo Oghene Efezino (President, Isoko Leadership Forum), Chief Chika Obielumani (President, Coalition of Ndokwa Youth Leaders), Kingsley Tenumah (Chairman, Warri Indigenous People’s Movement), Chief Mathias Efe Olowu (National Chairman, Odavwe R’Urhobo Group) and Dr. Asobi Oyemike (National Coordinator, Ndokwa Advocacy for Development and Good Governance).

Explaining their position, the stakeholders said, “We, the Niger Delta Stakeholders Forum and the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities, after a strategic meeting comprising community leaders, youth representatives, former agitators, stakeholders, and critical opinion leaders from across the Niger Delta region, have lived through the cycles of conflict, peace, accountability, betrayal, and reconstruction that continue to define the security architecture of the Niger Delta region.”

“We also collectively represent the broad spectrum of ethnic nationalities and host communities across the region whose peace, stability, and economic survival are directly tied to the decisions being taken at this critical moment. This communique is both a warning and a sincere appeal that must be listened to carefully.”

While appealing to Tinubu, they added, “Mr. President, we speak as leaders and stakeholders who stood for Nigeria when it mattered most. We urge you to learn from history; correct the current imbalance; protect institutions of peace from politicisation and misuse; and restore equity, fairness and confidence in the system.”

“The Niger Delta has seen crisis before. We know the signs. If the current trajectory is not urgently corrected, the consequences may once again be severe, not just for the Niger Delta, but for Nigeria as a whole.”

The communiqué justifies a call for decentralisation of pipeline contracts by noting that under President Goodluck Jonathan, oil production peaked when pipeline surveillance contracts were decentralised, giving communities a sense of belonging and ownership. In contrast, the present centralised approach, despite higher spending, has failed to meet the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries quota.

“We recall that during the twilight of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, pipeline and oil and gas infrastructure surveillance was strategically decentralised across the Niger Delta States. This structure empowered local stakeholders, aligned responsibility with indigenous leadership and created ownership of national assets. The result was clear and measurable. Nigeria’s crude oil production stabilised and rose to an average of approximately 2.4‑2.5 million barrels per day before May 2015. This was not accidental; it was the direct outcome of a decentralised, community‑driven security architecture,” they pointed out.

They lamented that when conditions deteriorated and the region returned to conflict, some leaders were called for questioning. While some responded and cleared doubts, others returned to the creeks to form the Avengers, attacking national assets in the region.

They noted that leaders such as King Tom Ateke, Dokubo Asari, Ben Ebijabowei, Biopere Ajube and Michael Jonny garrisoned their domains to contain agitation and violence within Delta State, whereas those who sided with the federal government for peace were sidelined and those who took up arms were rewarded with contracts.

In what they described as a “dangerous reality,” they referred to the repositioning of private security operators with better funding, organisation and technology, including night‑vision drones launched from vehicles, warning that “the development does not strengthen national security but weakens it.”

They observed that despite centralisation and large expenditure, results have been poor, calling for an audit and review because decentralisation does not equal disorganisation.

Regarding the Amnesty programme, the stakeholders called for a review to ensure it does not lose its status of equity and peace and does not descend into murky political waters as has recently been observed.

The communiqué also urged an upward review of stipends paid to ex‑agitators, which remain at 65,000 a month despite currency weakening and inflation.

They alleged that a particular ex‑agiter, in collusion with the head of the amnesty programme, increased allocations to an unnamed group by over 500 percent, and called for a probe into the programme from its inception, including an examination of Chief Dennis Otuaro’s tenure for transparency, accountability, public trust and sustainable peace in the region.