WARRI/Nigeria: A security expert, Demeide Master Tony, has warned that Nigeria’s fragile fiscal recovery, energy security, and political stability could be severely undermined if the Federal Government terminates the surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), describing the firm as a critical pillar in safeguarding the nation’s oil infrastructure.
Demeide argued that the sustained gains recorded in the oil sector over the past four years are directly linked to Tantita’s operations, noting that the company has reduced crude oil theft by nearly 80 percent, restored production levels to about 1.8 million barrels per day, generated over 10,000 jobs, and contributed significantly to environmental recovery across the Niger Delta.
He cautioned that discontinuing the contract would dismantle existing deterrence mechanisms, destabilize host communities, and potentially plunge the country into economic and political uncertainty.
Advocating for the retention and institutionalisation of Tantita, the expert described the company as “the backbone of Nigeria’s energy security,” stressing that its effectiveness is grounded in globally validated criminological theories. He explained that crime thrives in the absence of capable guardians, adding that Tantita’s introduction of “creek intelligence” has made pipelines unattractive targets for vandals.
Drawing parallels with international experience, he cited Mexico’s Pemex crisis as evidence that oil theft surges when community-based surveillance systems weaken, reinforcing the need for sustained local engagement in protecting critical infrastructure.
Demeide further anchored his position on social disorganisation theory, noting that weak institutions often fuel criminality, while structured employment can restore order. He linked Tantita’s engagement of over 10,000 Niger Delta youths to improved social cohesion and reduced incentives for criminal activity.
He explained that by increasing the likelihood of arrests and raising the risks associated with pipeline vandalism, Tantita has effectively made oil theft economically irrational, while also reducing the pressures of economic deprivation through job creation.
The expert also highlighted the company’s hybrid security model, which combines technology-driven surveillance using long-endurance drones and geospatial tracking with grassroots intelligence gathered from locally recruited operatives serving as “human sensors.”
According to him, Tantita’s collaboration with security agencies, including the Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Services (DSS), Navy, and Joint Task Force (JTF), has strengthened lawful enforcement and rapid response capabilities, while continuous training has enhanced professionalism among operatives.
He disclosed that the Nigerian Army Resource Centre had described Tantita’s approach as a “panacea for national development,” underscoring its broader strategic value.
Providing data to support his claims, Demeide cited statistics from NEITI and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), revealing that oil theft dropped by 79 percent in 2023, with production rebounding to between 1.4 and 1.5 million barrels per day. He added that sustained surveillance pushed output to 1.6 million barrels per day in 2024, while production reached 1.8 million barrels per day by July 2025, saving the country an estimated $18 billion annually.
He further noted that environmental gains have been significant, with oil spills declining by 50 percent in 2024, alongside the disappearance of the notorious “black soot” in Port Harcourt and a marked reduction in sea piracy and related criminal activities, which has boosted investor confidence in the oil sector.
On corporate social responsibility, Demeide said Tantita has complemented government efforts through initiatives such as sustainable rice farming programmes, construction of solar-powered classrooms, rehabilitation of roads, provision of police stations, and award of scholarships to indigent students.
He added that the company has also carried out medical outreaches in rural communities, embarked on mangrove restoration and environmental clean-up projects, and empowered youths through vocational training in welding, ICT, and marine services, while fostering unity among traditional rulers.
However, he warned that terminating the contract could trigger a multidimensional crisis, including a security vacuum, resurgence of militancy, and a possible drop in oil production below one million barrels per day, with severe implications for the naira and the broader economy.
He also raised concerns about the potential resurgence of ethnic tensions in the Niger Delta, increased environmental degradation, and the risk of unemployed youths being recruited as political thugs ahead of the 2027 general elections, as well as declining investor confidence that could drive international oil companies away from Nigeria.
Demeide therefore proposed the establishment of a Niger Delta Pipeline Security Commission (NDPSC) to institutionalise Tantita’s model, recommending a hybrid framework that combines private sector efficiency with statutory oversight, alongside expanded capacity-building and reintegration programmes for youths.
“Retention is not optional; it is a strategic necessity,” he said, stressing that Tantita has proven that local guardianship works and remains indispensable to Nigeria’s economic stability.
Quoting Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, he concluded that effective security depends on reliable intelligence, insisting that Tantita represents the kind of informed, community-based approach required to protect Nigeria’s energy lifeline and sustain its economic recovery.
