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We are emboldened by the enactment of PIA, Host Communities
By Our Reporter.
The President , Host Communities of Nigeria producing Oil and Gas HOSTCOM, His Highness, (Dr )Benjamin Style Tamaranebi JP has praised Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his Renewed Hope Agenda by increasing the production output of crude oil on assumption of duty, that reduced oil theft .
In an open letter to Nigeria’s President,Niger Delta Youths tagged “Call for Restraint; Killing of personnel of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL, Bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta – Protecting our future ” issued on Thursday by the leadership of the host communities stated that the engagement of Tantita and other security agencies has yielded tremendous positive results.
With this , we commend President Tinubu for engaging the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL among many others, while condemning the killing of its harmless and armless personnel.
While using the opportunity to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the confidence reposed in the maritime security outfit as a critical security stakeholders in the maintenance of oil installations and assets in the Niger Delta.
Though , we are not aware of some dissidents and disgruntled elements to unhappiness with the success story President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought to oil and local communities in the Niger Delta.
With the recent bombings of oil installations in the oil producing areas of Niger Delta, killings of Tantita Security personnel are reckless act that threaten the peace and stability of the country , but the future of our communities.
He described the bombings and attacks as an act of destruction, far from act of heroism that does not good to the progress and development already achieved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the region.
He further described the attackers as tools in the hands of politicians ,their gladiators and criminals and not freedom fighters who meant well for the Niger Delta people.
He said this unpatriotic actions does not meant well for the good people of Niger Delta having suffered from different incidents of economic, political and social degradation, relieved by the enactment of Petroleum Industry Act PIA by the present administration.
Chief Dr Benjamin Style Tamaranebi reminded the host communities on the provisions of the act and it’s consequences on the oil communities, stating that a community that engages in crises forfeits benefits which is unambiguous in section 257 subsection 2 of the PIA act.
The release further states..
OPEN LETTER TO:
” ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR PRESIDENT & COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.”
” YOUTHS OF THE NIGER DELTA .”
A CALL FOR RESTRAINT: KILLING OF PERSONNEL OF TANTITA SECURITY SERVICES NIGERIA LIMITED (TSSNL) AND BOMBING OF OIL FACILITIES IN THE NIGER DELTA – PROTECTING OUR FUTURE
“That farsightedness and courageous actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, especially in the oil and gas sector in the last nearly two years, have transformed the landscape and allowed Nigeria to improve its oil production quota significantly and reduce rampant oil theft, is no longer news.”
“It’s also obvious that engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) and other non- state actors in the task of policing and securing the nation’s economic assets has yielded tremendous positive outcomes.”
“It’s in this regard that we commend Mr. President for the confidence he has reposed in Tantita as a critical part of the security architecture for maintaining oil assets in the Niger Delta.”
“However, we are not unaware that some disgruntled people are unhappy with our successes and the relief that Mr President’s courageous steps have brought to the country, and especially to local communities in the Niger Delta.”
“The recent bombings of oil pipelines and cold-blooded murder of TSSNL personnel in the Niger Delta are reckless acts that threaten not only the stability of our region but also the future of our communities.”
” They are not acts of heroism but acts of self-destruction. ”
“Those who engage in these crimes are not freedom fighters, they are tools in the hands of selfish politicians and criminal syndicates, who care nothing for the Niger Delta or its people.”
“These actions, carried out under the guise of political grievances, are shortsighted. They do not serve the interests of the Niger Delta people—they only deepen our suffering.”
“Let us be clear: Destroying our oil assets is economic suicide. It’s a direct attack on the very lifeline of our communities.”
“Our host communities have endured environmental degradation, economic hardship, and neglect for decades. ”
“The passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was a turning point, ensuring that our communities finally receive direct benefits from the resources extracted from our land. ”
“The PIA was a hard-earned victory that finally guaranteed the host communities a share of the wealth generated from our land.”
“Billions of naira have already flowed into community trusts, empowering local development initiatives. However, Section 257, Subsection 2 of the PIA is clear: ”
“Any community that engages in sabotage forfeits these benefits. That means the very people committing these attacks are robbing their own families and their futures.”
“Attacking oil infrastructure weakens Nigeria’s economy and directly robs our communities of the progress we have fought to achieve.”
“Let us also be clear about who benefits from this destruction. Not the youths. Not the struggling leaders of the host communities. Not the hard-working people of the Niger Delta. The only winners are the oil thieves, the corrupt politicians and the foreign oil barons, who are eager to see our region remain unstable and underdeveloped.”
“The situation in Rivers State is political, and political issues require political solutions. Destroying pipelines and killing security personnel will not resolve these conflicts—it will only make our region more volatile and unlivable. Oil spills poison our rivers, destroy aquatic life, and render our land barren and our youths are left with nothing.”
“The youth engaging in these attacks must ask themselves: Who truly benefits from this destruction? Certainly not the host communities.”
“This madness must stop. Tantita Security Services and other security outfits are crucial in safeguarding Nigeria’s oil assets. Their presence has helped to curb oil theft, improve production levels, and stabilise our national economy.”
“TSSNL and other security personnel are not our enemies but our brothers and sisters working to protect our collective future. It is indefensible to do anything to bring them to harm. They have put their lives on the line to protect our oil wealth from criminal gangs. Killing them is not act of resistance, it’s cowardly and an unforgivable betrayal of our people and our future. ”
“The crisis in River State is political. Politicians will eventually settle their differences- but will they bring back the lives lost? Will they restore our environment? Will they restore the benefits stolen from our communities? No, they will move on, leaving our youths stranded to suffer the consequences.”
“We must not be fools. We must not allow ourselves to be used. Every youth in the Niger Delta must reject this cycle of violence and destruction. Protecting our oil facilities is not about helping the government- it’s about securing our future. ”
“We aligned with the the position canvassed by a human right activist, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, after the unjustifiable killing of some personnel of Tantita, when he said, “The engagement of TANTITA is critical in combating the scourge of oil smuggling and bunkering. As a local company, they possess intimate knowledge of the terrain in the Niger Delta and are acutely aware of the hiding places and tactics employed by these criminals.”
“We in HOSTCOM believed that this unique understanding of the Niger Delta terrain by Tantita and its personnel is vital for effective onslaught against oil theft, and it’s imperative that our security agencies and other critical stakeholders in our region recognise the selfless contributions of Tantita and its main promoter, our own indefatigable Niger Delta crusader for better life for our people and champion of equitable and fair distribution of the nation’s resources, High Chief, Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation and support them.”
“We in HOSTCOM also know and believed it to be true that President Tinubu’s administration has taken drastic steps to enforce the PIA, which has ultimately increased oil production and revenue for our region. Reckless acts of violence must not destroy the progress.”
“It would be recalled that for decades, governors in the region have collected 13 percent of derivation from the federal government and yet have done nothing to develop local communities, despite receiving this fund that runs in billions of naira.”
“We thank President Tinubu GCFR; the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engineer Mele Kyari and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe FNSE CFR, for ensuring effective compliance with PIA, a development which has led to major spike in our daily production of crude oil from abysmal 600,000bpd to about 1.8mbpd with the good work of TSSNL and other state and non-state actors.”
“We urge traditional rulers, community leaders, and responsible citizens to reject violence and report any individuals attempting to incite destruction in our communities.”
” The Niger Delta must not be used as a battleground for political struggles that do not serve the interests of its people.”
“The government must swiftly crush these criminals and their sponsors, if our persuasive appeals are ignored, before they do irreversible damage. ”
“Enough is enough. The Niger Delta has suffered for too long. We cannot build a future on sabotage and destruction. Let us rise above the schemes of greedy politicians and criminals. Let’s protect what is ours. Let us choose peace, progress and prospects.”
“We should choose stability over strife, collaboration over conflict and dialogue over discord.”
“We also call on the Federal Government to also address other root causes of youth restiveness in the region in order to strengthen the prevailing peace in the oil-rich belt.”
“We seize this opportunity to congratulate and wish Mr. President well on his 73rd birthday, on Saturday, March 29th, 2025.”
“We pray that God sustains you in robust health to enable you to carry out your policies and programmes as enshrined in the RENEWED HOPE AGENDA.”
GOD BLESS THE NIGER DELTA REGION
GOD BLESS THE SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
GOD BLESS ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR
GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
SIGNED:
HIS HIGHNESS (DR.) BENJAMIN STYLE TAMARANEBI (JP)
PRESIDENT, HOST COMMUNITIES OF NIGERIA PRODUCING OIL AND GAS (HOSTCOM)
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The competition and consumer protection tribunal has upheld the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a statement on Friday by Ondaje Ijagwu, the agency’s director for corporate affairs, FCCPC said the tribunal also awarded $35,000 to the commission as the cost of investigation.
On July 19, 2024, FCCPC imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, for multiple data privacy violations.
However, Meta said it would appeal the fine.
The case stemmed from a 38-month joint investigation by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the privacy practices and consumer data policies of WhatsApp and Meta.
Delivering judgment on Thursday in Abuja, the tribunal led by Thomas Okosun ruled that the FCCPC acted within its constitutional and statutory powers in investigating and sanctioning the companies for alleged anti-competitive and exploitative practices.
The tribunal dismissed the appeals filed by Meta and WhatsApp, which challenged the legal basis of the commission’s findings and orders.
Instead, it upheld the commission’s position on nearly all contested issues.
Gbolahan Elias (SAN) led WhatsApp and Meta’s legal teams, while Babatunde Irukera led the FCCPC’s legal team.
According to the statement, both teams had made their final arguments on behalf of their respective clients on January 28.
‘FCCPC ADHERED TO DUE PROCESS’
The tribunal, in its ruling, found that the FCCPC adhered to due process and acted within the law.
It resolved issues one to seven primarily in favour of the commission.
“The Tribunal resolved Issues 1 to 7 largely in favour of the FCCPC, dismissing the appellants’ objections to the Commission’s findings, orders, and legal competence,” the statement reads.
“One of the central issues (Issue 3), which alleged a breach of fair hearing, was decided in favour of the Commission, with the Tribunal affirming that the FCCPC fully discharged its quasi-judicial responsibilities by affording the appellants ample opportunity to respond.
“The Tribunal found no violation of constitutional due process.
“On Issue 4, which questioned the Commission’s powers in data protection and privacy, the Tribunal held that the FCCPC acted within its statutory mandate, reaffirming its authority under Section 104 of the FCCPA to regulate competition and consumer protection even in regulated industries.
“On Issue 5, which challenged the Commission’s findings regarding Meta’s privacy policies, the tribunal also resolved in the FCCPC’s favour.
“The Tribunal found no error in the Commission’s conclusions and held that the privacy policy in question did, in fact, offend Nigerian law.
“While issue 7 was largely resolved in favour of the commission, the tribunal set aside Order 7 of the commission’s final order, stating that it lacked sufficient legal basis.”
Commenting on the judgment, Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman (EVC) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the FCCPC, welcomed the ruling, describing it as a landmark judgment reinforcing the commission’s mandate to protect consumers and ensure fair market practices.
He commended the commission’s legal team for their diligence.
Bello reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to enforcing the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) in line with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
A group known as the Guardians of Justice and Democratic Leadership has strongly condemned the escalating crisis in Zamfara State, calling for a state of emergency to be declared due to Governor Dauda Lawal’s alleged disregard for the rule of law and inaction on insecurity.
The group cited the ongoing power tussle between the governor and the Zamfara State House of Assembly, which has resulted in two parallel leaderships and a breakdown in governance.
The group’s executive director, Patriot Abel Adams, expressed deep concern over the state’s worsening security situation, with 14 local government councils experiencing rampant insecurity, killings, and destruction of properties.
Adams accused Governor Lawal of being one of the worst-performing governors in the country, lacking the capacity to govern and engaging in frivolous spending while the people suffered.
According to Adams, the governor’s actions have emboldened bandits and kidnappers, who have sacked whole communities and made life unbearable for the people of the state.
“Rather than strenuously work at eliminating the hydra-headed challenges of poverty, kidnapping, and banditry, the governor would rather engage in frivolous spending, make hypocritical sympathy visits to victims of the almost daily attacks and the families of the dead,” Adams said.
The group also criticised Lawal for presenting the state’s 2025 budget to an illegitimate assembly leadership, further exacerbating the crisis.
They pointed out that the governor’s actions are a clear disregard for the rule of law and the principles of separation of powers, which are fundamental to democracy.
“The governor should know that the same election that brought him to office and grants legitimacy to him as the governor is the same election that guarantees constitutional powers to the members of the State House of Assembly to act and represent their constituencies,” Adams said.
“No authority confers on him a more deserving priority order than that he is the governor of the State and must act within the constitutional allowance of his office.
“He is required to observe the principles of the rule of law, the principles of separation of powers and the observance of Checks and Balance, tenets without which democracy is no longer democracy but authoritarianism.
“The governor in failing to truly understand the tenets of democracy and uphold same, has also failed to take a cursory look at the House Standing Rules, but instead has gone on a miserable sightseeing, thinking that as a governor he has total tyrannical control and that the State Legislators are stooges and thus intends to turn them to effective rubber stamps.
“He failed woefully and has mis-constructed and misconstrued our democracy and the separation of powers, undermining it and insulting our collective sensibilities. He also underestimated the resilience of the 24 gallant patriots of democracy.
“Unfortunately, he is left with no option but must obey the new leadership of the House of Assembly or face the wrath of the people in an escalating crisis, which will make the State completely ungovernable for him and directly compel a declaration of the State of Emergency.
“We believe that the governor’s actions are a recipe for chaos and anarchy, and it’s only a matter of time before the situation becomes ungovernable. We call on the authorities to intervene and restore order in Zamfara State, ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens.”
The Guardians of Justice and Democratic Leadership also commended the 10 lawmakers who have been fighting for their rights and the rights of their constituents, despite facing intimidation and harassment from the governor’s camp.
“These lawmakers have shown courage and conviction in standing up for what is right, and we urge them to continue to defend the interests of their constituents,” Adams said.
The group’s call for a state of emergency in Zamfara State is based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended), which empowers the president to declare a state of emergency in a state where the structure of government has broken down.
“We believe that the situation in Zamfara State meets this criteria, and it’s imperative that the authorities take swift action to restore order and stability,” Adams said.
The group warned that if the situation is not addressed, it could lead to further escalation of violence, displacement of people, and humanitarian crisis.
They urged the authorities to take immediate action to address the security challenges and ensure that the government is accountable to the people.
The Guardians of Justice and Democratic Leadership urged the authorities to take immediate action to restore order and stability in Zamfara State, ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens.