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Nigeria has recorded a major breakthrough with oil and gas pipeline protection strategies as the Trans-Niger pipeline that delivers products to the Bonny terminus has recorded near-zero attacks in the past one month.
The management of the protection firm handling the route, the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), announced in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, that the feat was a testament to the effectiveness of the company’s strategic engagements with its host communities.
The strategies, according to Akpos Mezeh, the General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations, are said to be anchored on what he called time-tested strategies of ensuring safety of their surveillance guards, regular payment of salaries, drastic reduction in downtime due to prompt dispute resolutions in the communities, etc.
Mezeh disclosed these at the July 2025 ‘Stakeholders Forum’ where he mentioned challenges that still confront the efforts including gaps in information sharing by relevant stakeholders, safety of surveillance guards, stakeholders’ connivance, and community leadership disputes that he said run at cross-purposes with the company’s goals.
He admitted that the feats of PINL have helped much in rescuing Nigeria from further bleeding due to the actions of the unyielding activities of economic saboteurs.
He went on: “Safe to say the reward for one good work is more work. Note also that to whom much is given, much is expected. We therefore charge you to be more united, redouble your efforts, and work with renewed vigour to sustain this unprecedented achievement in the interest of our beloved country.”
Reviewing the strategies so far at the ‘Regular Stakeholders Forum’ organized by PINL to appraise efforts towards ending vandalism and crude oil theft on the Trans Niger Pipeline, the GM gave updates on the welfare benefits to the host communities, disclosing that a committee has been constituted to commence the process of selecting eligible beneficiaries for the scholarship programme; and that discussions have been finalized with their consultants to finetune the original programme on the skills acquisition scheme for women to commence in the fourth quarter.
He went further: “Let me re-echo that our commitment to the sustainable development of our host communities in line with the renewed hope agenda of the Federal Government is unshaken.
“We wish to also acknowledge the sacrifices of other strategic partners in this turbulent journey; office of the national security adviser (ONSA), Nigeria Armed Forces, Civil Defence, directorate of state security (DSS), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the governors of Imo, Abia, Rivers, and Bayelsa states where we have our operations.
“All we expect from you in today’s meeting is your usual feedback on how we can improve on our operations in the fight against pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft and environmental pollution.”
Responding, most of the leaders of the stakeholders made more demands in welfare or rights of the oil communities. Most of them commended PINL for forming a platform for engagement of oil communities, something they said the oil corporations nor the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC, NNPCL) failed to do over the years.
Datolu Sukubo, chairman, Ijaw Youth Council (YC), Eastern Zone, furiously noted that the IOCs never engaged host communities deeply this way. “On this score, we the youths of the Niger Delta ask that PINL become the official mouthpiece of the oil communities.
“It is obvious that your work (activity) has benefitted the Nigerian economy. Our youths want the PINL to engage the NNPCL with the same energy with which you are engaging us to convince them to reduce high cost of fuel in the creeks and oil (Ijaw) areas where fuel sells between N2,000 and N3,000 per litre.”
The IYC kingpin went on: “Let the NNPCL note that the floating fuel stations along the creeks are non-functional, they are all empty. This has led to scarcity and high cost of fuel in the same areas that yield the fuel of the nation.”
He posed a question, asking: “Why are the NNPCL and FG interested in securing only oil infrastructure but not the people. They spend billions of Dollars to protect pipelines and oil facilities but do not seem to care a hoot about lives in those places, such that if something is happening next point to a security post and you alert them, they will not look at you.
“We urge PINL to kindly tell the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPR) to engage the youths of the Niger Delta. This is the best strategic engagement being carried out in the oil region.”
He singled out Mezeh, saying he was doing very well, having passed this way before in life. “So, he seems to work with personal experience. We are thus not surprised by his steps.
“We support the call by the monarchs to look into their welfare because the oil boys seem to have more financial power than the elders and monarch. So, the monarchs do not seem to have influence over them anymore.”
Jator Abido, an engineer and national coordinator, Niger Delta Youth Council (NDYC), commended the PINL on behalf of the Niger Delta people. “Our appeal however is note that the NNPCL and the IOCs are currently employing. Tell them to consider the youths of the oil region. This is because if our people are earning the kind of salaries and incomes people posted to our areas from faraway places are earning, we would not want to break the pipelines carrying the resources.”
Mene Suanu Timothy Baridam, the King of Bangha, who is also the chairman, Conference of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, said PINL as a firm has done very well but that the forum so far created should form a platform to seek solutions to the problems in the oil region.
The king said: “There is hunger in the oil region caused by oil exploration itself. Pollution has killed our farms. Part of the blame goes to our kits and kins who collaborate with outsiders to undo the people of the region.
“Environmental crisis is here with us. Youths face limited opportunities, thus creating a circle of poverty. There is constant threat to the communities due to insecurity aggravated by lack of jobs.
“PINL steps are highly commendable because it has not been like this before. Honest engagement can help us forge a way out.”
A monarch from Owaza in Abia State, Obioma Ezeoha, called for empower the communities with amenities and jobs to promote cooperation and protection of pipelines.
His counterpart from Egbema in Rivers State, Sylvester Okwuodo, said PINL has made huge impact since it commenced operations in the pipeline areas.
He testified that already, pollution has gone down very much. “You have brought youth restiveness down by giving jobs to young people. You have intervened in many other ways especially provision of support to communities.
“You are protecting not only pipelines but the lives in the communities too. In fact, you are doing more than the oil corporations. Please continue to do more.”
The forum holds every month to look at achievements made and areas for improvement in the battle against oil vandalism and wasting of crude oil flowing to the terminus.
