By Onoja Baba, Nigeria
Scores of demonstrators under the Coalition of Civil Society for Economic Protection staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday at the gate of the National Assembly in Abuja as the Senate and House of Representatives intensified deliberations on crude oil theft and pipeline security in the Niger Delta.
The protesters were prevented from gaining access into the complex by security personnel including officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other agencies.
The demonstration coincided with a high-level parliamentary roundtable organised by the Joint Senate and House Committees on Petroleum Resources to examine the state of pipeline security and the fight against crude oil theft.
Expected participants at the roundtable include Senate President Godswill Akpabio Speaker Tajudeen Abbas Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede Director-General of the Department of State Services Tosin Ajayi National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa and Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Limited Kestin Pondi among others.
Convener of the protest Tesleem Kolawole addressed journalists at the scene urging lawmakers to sincerely examine the journey and performance of Tantita Security Services without fear or favour.
He called for continuity, transparency and support for initiatives that have helped restore Nigeria’s oil production which rose to about 1.8 million barrels per day in November 2024 from previous lows of around 500000 barrels per day before Tantita’s engagement in 2022.
Kolawole emphasised that when national assets are secured, the economy benefits communities stabilise and young people gain real opportunities.
He described Tantita as a visible part of a broader national effort that has restored confidence in pipeline security and crude oil production adding that the conversation around pipeline surveillance must be guided by results rather than disruption.
Crude oil theft has long undermined Nigeria’s revenue and fuelled insecurity in the Niger Delta.
The ongoing parliamentary engagement is expected to shape future policy direction on securing the country’s critical oil infrastructure. No incident of violence was reporte
d during the protest.
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