Several militant groups in the region are reportedly angry with the Nigerian government for leaving them out of the juicy contract, threatening to make the surveillance contract unworkable.
The National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd.), facilitated the award of the multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contract to a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, SaharaReporters has gathered.
The N4billion per month contract, which covers the Ijaw-speaking part of Bayelsa State (Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor local government areas), Delta, Ondo, Imo and Rivers states, has attracted a groundswell of opposition from some stakeholders in Bayelsa, Ondo, Imo and Rivers states.
Several militant groups in the region are reportedly angry with the Nigerian government for leaving them out of the juicy contract, threatening to make the surveillance contract unworkable.
Sources familiar with the contract told SaharaReporters that Tompolo was given the contract based on Monguno’s recommendation to President Muhammadu Buhari.
It was learnt that the NSA urged Buhari to award the multi-billion naira contract for peace to rein the Niger Delta area.
The President was said to have complained about the decrease in the country’s oil production.
In January, February, March, April, and May, the country’s crude oil production averaged 1.39million bpd, 1.25 million bpd, 1.24 million bpd, 1.22 million bpd, and 1.02 million bpd, respectively.
Nigeria has consistently failed to meet the 1.8 million bpd production quota set by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
In March, Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, had mentioned security issues in the Niger Delta area as a major factor affecting Nigeria’s ability to meet the oil production quota.
“National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Mongonu (retd.) was the one who single handedly convinced Buhari to award the contract to the ex-militant leader,” the source said.
“It was not facilitated by one Adokiye Tombomieye, the Group Executive Director (Upstream) as being speculated by Isoko Youths, even the Minister wasn’t aware initially until President Buhari called his attention to the NSA’s memo recommending Tompolo for the job.
“Is it not funny? Can a single man award a contract of over N4bn monthly? So nobody is playing an ethnic game and pushing the Isoko nation to the background. Monguno is from Borno.
“I saw a petition also published by the Isoko youths alleging marginalization. Other groups too have kicked against the award of these contract but they should know who to direct their grievances to. They should ask Monguno why he recommended a man once declared wanted by EFCC for such a multi-billion naira contract and stop blackmailing those not connected to the contract at all.”