Niger Delta Youth Leaders Endorse Tantita Security, Issue Three Demands to FG – Including East-West Road
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Jonathan Lokpobri Snr Reads the Riot Act: Niger Delta Youth Leaders Endorse Tantita Security, Demand East-West Road, Coastal Road Equity
The Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum has endorsed Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited while demanding immediate federal government action on the East-West Road and coastal highway projects across the Niger Delta region.
The resolution was reached during a summit held in Port Harcourt, where youth leaders from oil-producing states deliberated on regional security, infrastructure deficits, and resource equity.
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Ejes Gist News reports that the forum issued a communiqué backing Tantita’s operations against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism while calling for urgent intervention on critical infrastructure projects.
The communiqué was presented by Jonathan Lokpobri Snr, who said the region’s youths had resolved to support indigenous security initiatives that protect oil and gas infrastructure in the creeks.
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According to him, Tantita Security has recorded measurable progress in reducing illegal bunkering and protecting national assets in the Niger Delta.
“Tantita Security has shown that indigenous security solutions work. They have reduced crude oil theft significantly. We stand with them and endorse their operations across the Niger Delta,” Lokpobri stated.
The endorsement comes amid continuing debates over the role of private security contractors in safeguarding Nigeria’s oil infrastructure and combating economic sabotage in the region.
Niger Delta Youth Leaders Demand Urgent Reconstruction of East-West Road
The forum also issued a strong demand for the immediate commencement and completion of reconstruction work on the East-West Road, describing the highway as critical to economic activities and movement within the Niger Delta.
The East-West Road links major oil-producing states including Rivers State, Bayelsa State, Delta State and Akwa Ibom State.
Youth leaders at the summit described the condition of the road as unacceptable, citing frequent accidents, traffic delays, and economic losses suffered by commuters and businesses operating along the corridor.
“We call for the immediate commencement of work on the East-West Road. Our people are suffering. The federal government must act now,” the communiqué stated.
The forum further demanded equitable implementation of coastal highway projects, insisting that construction should not begin exclusively from Lagos while oil-producing communities remain neglected.
The group referenced the proposed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, arguing that projects financed through resources generated from the Niger Delta should directly benefit communities in the region.
According to the forum, simultaneous construction should commence from key Niger Delta cities including Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar.
“We are not against development in Lagos, but we demand fairness. If the coastal road is funded by Niger Delta resources, then work should begin simultaneously in Niger Delta states,” Lokpobri added.
Niger Delta Youth Leaders resolutions
Key resolutions from the summit included:
- Full endorsement of Tantita Security’s operations in the Niger Delta
- Immediate reconstruction and rehabilitation of the East-West Road
- Multiple construction points for coastal highway projects
- Greater infrastructure benefits for oil-producing communities
The forum maintained that oil-bearing communities must see visible developmental benefits from the resources extracted from their lands.
Stakeholders at the summit argued that continued neglect of infrastructure in the Niger Delta could deepen frustration among youths in the region.
You will recall that Niger Delta has historically witnessed militancy and disruptions to oil production linked to grievances over environmental degradation, unemployment, and infrastructure deficits. Groups such as Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta and Niger Delta Avengers previously carried out attacks on oil facilities, significantly affecting Nigeria’s crude oil output.
Political observers say the endorsement of Tantita Security by youth leaders could strengthen the company’s operational legitimacy across host communities while increasing pressure on the federal government to address longstanding infrastructure concerns in the region.
The administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu has yet to officially respond to the demands contained in the communiqué issued at the Port Harcourt summit.
