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By 247ureports.com
A group calling itself the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance (CCSOGG) has defended Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and its Project Director, Osahon Okunbo, against claims that the company receives ₦2.7 trillion a year for pipeline surveillance, saying no document has been produced to support the figure and calling for an evidence-based review of surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta.
The Coalition’s Position
At a press briefing in Lagos, coalition spokesman Declan Ihekaire said legitimate questions about public contracts should be answered with documents and verifiable evidence, not “sensational allegations capable of damaging reputations, destabilising communities and undermining critical national security operations.” The coalition rejected “in its entirety” any portrayal of PINL and Okunbo as beneficiaries of what it called a fictitious ₦2.7 trillion personal arrangement.
“If the allegation is true, let the document be produced. If it is not true, those responsible for spreading it must have the courage and responsibility to correct the record,” the group said. It warned that attaching such a figure to a named individual could expose him, his family, employees and host communities to hostility and security risks.
The ₦150 Billion Claim
The coalition said its understanding was that the PINL contract is “in the region of ₦150 billion,” and challenged anyone with evidence to the contrary to publish it. It also argued that a contract value is not personal income, because it covers personnel, equipment, logistics, security operations, technology, subcontractors and community engagement. 247ureports.com could not independently verify the ₦150 billion figure, and the government and NNPCL have not published surveillance contract values or payment records, which is the transparency gap both sides say they want closed.
What the Coalition Says PINL Does
According to the coalition, PINL is responsible for surveillance along the Eastern Corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline, covering parts of Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia and Imo states, with operations spanning about 215 communities and thousands of youths engaged in surveillance and related work. It cited company-attributed figures indicating a significant drop in pipeline infractions and vandalism attempts, and pointed to the use of drones, surveillance stations, security vessels, mobile response units and round-the-clock monitoring. The coalition itself said these claims should be independently assessed by the relevant authorities, and called for assessment of all surveillance contractors on vandalism reduction, protection of crude output, community relations, technology deployment and value for money.
Its Recommendations
The group urged the Federal Government and NNPCL to publish enough information on surveillance arrangements to reduce speculation, called for adequate security for surveillance personnel, and asked anyone with evidence of wrongdoing to submit it to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies. “Nigeria needs more protection of its pipelines, not more politics around pipeline protection,” it said.
The Underlying Dispute
The row stems from a video in which former militant leader Mujahid Asari-Dokubo alleged that the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, and Okunbo collect ₦2.7 trillion annually for pipeline surveillance, while suggesting that Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, receives less and is being singled out. Dokubo also introduced ethnicity into the argument. The broadcaster that carried the video said it was unverified and that the figure remained an allegation, and reports note that Dokubo did not present a contract or payment record in the video.
A representative of the Olu of Warri has rejected the claim and challenged Dokubo to produce evidence. PINL has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), in a petition dated October 7, asking it to investigate the allegation and its sources and to invite Dokubo to substantiate it. Other groups, including an Edo diaspora media group, the Niger Delta Mass Mobilisation organisation MOSIEND, and CODAFA, have also weighed in, with some warning against ethnic division in the region and others criticising Dokubo’s claim.
Context: A Wider Scrutiny of Surveillance Spending
The dispute lands as scrutiny of pipeline security spending grows. Last weekend, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar demanded a public accounting of ₦11.2 trillion that NNPCL says the Federation owes it for advances and costs tied to protecting oil and gas assets. He also noted that Tantita Security Services, which holds a pipeline security contract, is linked to a founder who has been sending campaign vehicles in support of Tinubu’s re-election, and asked for disclosure of what such contractors receive from government. Plans to split pipeline surveillance contracts among more operators have also drawn objections from some Niger Delta groups.
A Note on Sourcing
The coalition’s statement does not say who funds it or whether it has any relationship with PINL. Its figures for the contract value and for PINL’s performance are those of the coalition and the company, not independently audited findings. Asari-Dokubo had not publicly produced evidence for his figure, and he had not responded to the coalition’s challenge as of this report.
247ureports.com will update this story if the DSS, NNPCL or Asari-Dokubo respond.
