By Philip Jeremiah Eke
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the growing tensions surrounding pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta.
In a statement signed by its President General, Dr. Kennedy Tonjo West, MOSIEND warned that failure to act decisively could threaten regional stability and reopen fragile fault lines in the oil-rich region.
The group said the controversy should not be dismissed as a mere struggle over economic interests, stressing that the dispute is rooted in unresolved expectations dating back to the Niger Delta disarmament process initiated under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
According to MOSIEND, pipeline surveillance has become contentious not primarily because of its financial value, but because it remains one of the few visible and accessible avenues through which former agitator leaders and local stakeholders can participate in the oil and gas economy.
“The present agitation is deeply tied to the sacrifices made by ex-agitator leaders who embraced peace during the amnesty era,” the statement said.
“Many of them abandoned immediate financial alternatives, including gun buy-back options, in favour of long-term peace and stability, with the expectation that legitimate channels of inclusion would eventually emerge.”
MOSIEND noted that while many former foot soldiers were absorbed into reintegration stipend schemes, several leaders who helped stabilise the region were left without structured economic compensation.
This has made pipeline surveillance one of the few practical avenues for addressing those deferred expectations. The organisation warned that reducing the current demands to mere opportunism would amount to a dangerous misunderstanding of the political and psychological realities at play. “This is not an ordinary policy disagreement,” MOSIEND said.
“It is shaped by history, sacrifice, memory, and perceived entitlement. Mishandling it could fracture the fragile peace that has held in the Niger Delta for over a decade.”
The group further stressed that the issue carries significant political implications beyond economics, describing the Niger Delta as Nigeria’s economic backbone and a strategic electoral bloc whose cohesion must not be taken for granted, especially ahead of the 2027 elections.
MOSIEND called for decisive presidential leadership, stating that only President Tinubu possesses the authority to broker a balanced and credible resolution among all stakeholders.
It outlined three key principles for resolving the impasse: broader inclusion of excluded stakeholders, structured participation anchored on accountability and efficiency, and visible fairness in allocation and implementation.
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MOSIEND also urged relevant institutions, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Ijaw National Congress, and the Office of the National Security Adviser, to collaborate on a negotiated framework that protects both security operations and regional peace.
“No group should monopolise pipeline surveillance, and no legitimate stakeholder should be entirely excluded,” the statement added. “The path forward lies in negotiated balance, not absolute control.”
MOSIEND concluded that a timely and well-calibrated presidential intervention, backed by an inclusive framework, would not only calm current tensions but also reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to justice, fairness, and lasting peace in the Niger Delta.
