By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON) has accused unnamed influential figures within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) of allegedly attempting to undermine the operations of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited by delaying payments for services rendered.
In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, HOSCON warned that the alleged withholding of funds could trigger unrest in the Niger Delta and jeopardise the country’s recent gains in crude oil production and pipeline security.
The letter, signed by the Chairman of HOSCON and Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, HRM Monday Whiskey, claimed that intelligence available to the group indicated that certain “oil cabals” and crude oil thieves, frustrated by Tantita’s success in curbing pipeline vandalism and oil theft, had resorted to allegedly starving the security firm of operational funds.
According to HOSCON, the alleged funding delays have resulted in workers and subcontractors of Tantita remaining unpaid for nearly four months, creating dissatisfaction among employees and raising fears of possible industrial action.
The group warned that allowing the situation to continue could destabilise the Niger Delta and reverse the progress made in securing critical oil infrastructure.
HOSCON maintained that Tantita Security Services has played a significant role in protecting oil pipelines and reducing crude oil theft across the Niger Delta, noting that the region’s environment and oil facilities had suffered extensive damage before the company was engaged.
The organisation appealed directly to President Tinubu to intervene immediately, saying the matter required urgent attention in the national interest.
“We write to specifically draw your attention to a well-planned and orchestrated plot by some influential cabal at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to deliberately cause disorder in the Niger Delta,” the letter stated.
HOSCON further alleged that the delayed payments were a deliberate strategy aimed at weakening Tantita’s operations and frustrating its achievements in combating oil theft.
The group argued that the sacrifices made by the company’s personnel in safeguarding national assets should not be undermined by what it described as selfish interests.
It also urged the Federal Government and the management of NNPC Ltd. to support rather than frustrate security operations that have contributed significantly to improving Nigeria’s oil production.
While expressing confidence that President Tinubu would act to avert a looming crisis, HOSCON stressed that national assignments such as pipeline surveillance should receive adequate and timely funding.
The organisation also vowed to continue exposing any actions it believes are capable of undermining the success of efforts to secure Nigeria’s oil and gas assets.
Neither NNPC Ltd. nor Tantita Security Services had publicly responded to the allegations at the time of the report.
