Niger Delta’s traditional rulers vows to safeguard national assets

By : Ann Godwin

Date: 12 December 2025 9:28pm WAT

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Niger Delta traditional rulers

Niger Delta traditional rulers

Traditional rulers across Rivers, Imo and Abia States have reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding national oil assets with the aim of boosting the nation’s revenue.

This is as the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) announced significant improvements in crude production, community collaboration and security along the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) corridor. Speaking at its December 2025 Stakeholders’ Engagement in Port Harcourt, community leaders said the company’s surveillance model, grassroots communication and empowerment programmes were significant and had restored trust between oil-bearing communities and operators. PINL disclosed that operational stability was maintained across the Eastern Corridor throughout November, with zero illegal bunkering recorded except for one isolated sabotage incident in Ikata community, Ahoada East LGA.

The company added that community-driven intelligence has become the backbone of its security architecture, contributing directly to the national upsurge in oil production. Providing updates from its principal partner, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the company highlighted strong national performance figures: ₦5.4 trillion profit, ₦41.1 trillion revenue, and a $60 billion investment projection before 2030. It also noted that NNPCL Exploration & Production recently hit 335,000 barrels per day, the highest output in 36 years.

“These numbers show that every pipeline protected and every barrel saved directly supports Nigeria’s economic recovery,” PINL stated. Julius Edi, Special Adviser on Host Communities, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, said the federal government appreciates the cooperation of host communities, noting that increased production is a direct outcome of their vigilance. He urged continued unity and warned that sabotage has never produced meaningful development.

“Those engaged in bunkering cannot point to a single tarred road or primary school they built,” he said. His Royal Highness Eze Levi Oluoma of Owawe reiterated the call for youth employment, stressing that it is critical to sustaining peace. He also appealed for better community infrastructure, noting that traditional institutions “sleep better when the youths are positively engaged.”

The King of Ehie, HRM Ike Ehie, traced the region’s gains to years of struggle to prove that Niger Delta communities were capable of protecting national assets. He praised PINL’s community-based surveillance model, which he said has drastically reduced vandalism. “If someone tampers with the pipeline, we know his father and mother. Outsiders cannot manage our security better than us,” he said. The Paramount Ruler of Oguta, Nzeribe of Imo State, commended PINL’s dedication and noted that local communities bear the heaviest burden of hosting national assets. He urged authorities in Abuja to “allow excess flow to return to the communities” to support development.

The King of Eleme expressed appreciation for the company’s transparency and consistent engagements, saying the model has eliminated long-standing distrust. He described PINL as “the example other companies should follow,” noting that increased production “is happening because of how they engage us.” PINL announced that over 2,000 women have already been captured under its women empowerment programme, while scholarship disbursement for students will begin once verification processes are completed. The company also confirmed that its annual Christmas palliatives distribution will take place across Sakpenwa, Owaza, Ahoada, Mmahu, Emuoha and Yenagoa before Christmas.

PINL General Manager for Community and Stakeholders Relations, Dr Akpos Mezeh, thanked the monarchs, youth leaders, contractors and community representatives for their cooperation throughout the year. “Let us continue to protect national assets, empower our people and strengthen the prosperity of our region,” he said.

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