A security expert, Dr Blessing Agbomhere, has called on the Federal Government to sustain the petroleum pipeline surveillance contract coordinated by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, describing it as a strategic national asset vital to Nigeria’s economic stability and security framework.

In a public communication addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the leadership of the National Assembly, and other key officials of the country, Agbomhere argued that the surveillance architecture operated through Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and other indigenous partners has significantly curbed crude oil theft and contributed to the recovery of oil production in the Niger Delta.

According to him, Nigeria’s petroleum sector had in recent years faced an unprecedented crisis marked by organised crude oil theft and widespread pipeline vandalism, resulting in sharp revenue losses and weakened investor confidence.

Agbomhere who is a member of the International Institute of Professional Security noted that national oil output fell below the country’s quota under the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, placing severe strain on public finances and macroeconomic stability.

“The consequences were catastrophic,” Agbomhere said, adding that conventional security deployments struggled to counter criminal networks operating across the creeks and offshore installations of the Niger Delta.

He credited the introduction of a community-based surveillance model, driven by local knowledge and grassroots intelligence, as a turning point adding under the coordination of Government Ekpemupolo, the framework reportedly led to the discovery and dismantling of illegal tapping points, destruction of clandestine refining camps, interception of illicit crude transportation routes, and improved security along major trunk lines.

Agbomhere maintained that since the activation of the surveillance regime, Nigeria’s oil production has recorded measurable growth, boosting inflows into the Federation Account and improving fiscal predictability.

He described this progress as “an empirical reality,” citing renewed investor interest and increased revenue stability.

Beyond revenue recovery, he emphasized the broader security implications of the contract, noting that long-standing militancy and agitation in the Niger Delta have often been rooted in economic exclusion and disputes over resource control.

He argued that integrating local actors into a lawful and structured security arrangement has reduced sabotage incentives, created legitimate employment opportunities for youths, and strengthened intelligence cooperation between host communities and federal authorities.

“The surveillance contract has functioned not merely as a protective shield for pipelines, but as a stabilising mechanism for regional peace,” he said.

Addressing recent calls for the cancellation of the contract, Agbomhere urged caution, suggesting that some opposition may originate from interests negatively affected by intensified anti-theft operations.

He warned that dismantling a functioning security architecture without evidence of non-performance or legal violations could create an intelligence vacuum, embolden bunkering syndicates, and threaten national revenue at a critical economic moment.

While stressing the importance of transparency and accountability, Agbomhere acknowledged the role of legislative oversight and performance audits in a democratic system. “No public contract is beyond scrutiny,” he said, “but reform must not degenerate into regression.”

He called on President Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, and members of the National Assembly to prioritise empirical evidence, protect national revenue, and sustain peace in the South-South region.

According to him, the surveillance arrangement is “not a mere procurement contract, but a strategic safeguard for Nigeria’s economic lifeline.”