The Eagle Watch Key, a socio-political advocacy group, has praised the Tantita Security Network, for significantly boosting Nigeria’s oil production and positioning the country to meet its Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota.
The group said the success story is the sustained efforts in combating oil pipeline vandalism and curbing crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
Addressing journalists in Asaba, Delta State, its National Coordinator and founding member of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Cletus Kwalekeme, lauded Tantita Security’s role in stabilising oil production in the region.
He dismissed criticisms by some Ijaw youths, who questioned the effectiveness of the security outfit, labelling such claims as “fallacious and baseless.”
“Oil theft has drastically reduced. This is a major step in Nigeria’s economic recovery,” he said, adding that those undermining the company’s achievements were likely benefitting from the illegal oil trade.
He emphasised that Tantita’s operations had also fostered better relations between host communities and multinational oil companies.
He said the development was acknowledged by both President Bola Tinubu and ordinary Nigerians.
The activist, however, took a swipe at IYC National President, Comrade Jonathan Lokpobiri, over recent protests against the appointments made by President Tinubu in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
Lokpobiri and other Ijaw leaders had criticized the federal government for not appointing Ijaw individuals to key positions in the oil corporation.
Describing the protests as “baseless and not in the best interest of the Niger Delta,” Kwalekeme said the current NNPC board comprised “tested and seasoned administrators” capable of driving reforms in the petroleum sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
In a related development, Kwalekeme also responded to allegations by some Gbaramatu youths who accused the current leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of poor performance.
He strongly defended the NDDC’s present management under Chairman Mr. Chiedu Ebie and Managing Director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
“This is the best leadership the NDDC has ever had,” Kwalekeme said, adding that under their watch, abandoned projects were being revived and contractors held accountable for timely delivery. The era of project abandonment is over,” he stated.
He also condemned attacks by some Ijaw individuals on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, describing the criticism as unwarranted. Kwalekeme credited Wike with visible developmental strides both during his time as Rivers State Governor (2015–2023) and in his current role as FCT Minister.
