The Thin Line Between Security and Sabotage: Why Iwere Indigenous Voice (IIV) is Urging President Tinubu to Hold the Line on Pipeline Surveillance
In the complex landscape of the Niger Delta, where the pulse of Nigeria’s economy beats through a labyrinth of pipelines, a heated debate is unfolding over who should stand guard. At the center of this storm is Iwere Indigenous Voice (IIV), a prominent advocacy group that has issued an appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: Do not decentralize pipeline surveillance contracts.
For the IIV, the proposal to fragment these security mandates isn’t just a policy shift, it is a potential invitation to anarchy.
On the surface, the calls for decentralization are often framed as a quest for “regional inclusion” and “grassroots empowerment.” However, the IIV’s latest public statement strips away this veneer, labeling the movement a “dangerous and self-serving campaign.”
The group argues that behind the rhetoric of equity lies the shadow of personal interest.
According to the IIV, the push for multiple, smaller contracts is a calculated move by certain actors to gain unfettered access to oil facilities. The goal? To revive the lucrative and destructive trade of illegal bunkering under the guise of official protection.
One of the core arguments presented to the Presidency is that pipeline security must be treated as a rigorous national security function, not a political patronage system.
The IIV points to the current relative peace in the region as evidence that the existing centralized strategy is working.
By engaging competent, large-scale professional firms, the government has seen:
A measurable decline in crude oil theft.
Increased stability in host communities.
Heightened operational discipline in notoriously difficult terrains.
“Decentralization, as currently proposed, is nothing more than a coded attempt to legitimize disorder,” the IIV statement warned. The group fears that creating “multiple centers of unregulated control” would dismantle the progress made over the last few years.
Rather than diluting the current system, the IIV suggests that the path to a more secure Niger Delta lies in reinforcement, not fragmentation. They are calling on the Tinubu administration to:
Expand Coverage: Increase the kilometer reach of current successful frameworks.
Boost Support: Provide more operational resources to firms with proven track records.
Reward Results: Ensure that accountability remains the primary metric for contract retention.
The appeal isn’t directed solely at the Aso Rock Villa. The IIV is also calling on traditional rulers, youth organizations, and community leaders to look past divisive narratives. They argue that the future of the Niger Delta depends on a collective commitment to lawful economic activity and a rejection of the “get-rich-quick” schemes that have historically fueled violence in the region.
As the Federal Government weighs its options, the message from Iwere Indigenous Voice remains clear: security in the Niger Delta is a delicate balance. To disturb the current framework in favor of decentralization would be to risk plunging the region back into an era of economic sabotage and communal strife.
For the IIV, protecting the territorial integrity of the Itsekiri people and the economic health of Nigeria requires a firm hand and a refusal to compromise on competence. The ball is now in the President’s court.
Signed
Comr. Abaikpa Isaac oritsegbubemi
Public Relations Officer
Iwere Indigenous Voice (IIV)
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