IPF Raises Alarm Over Distractions in N-Delta Struggle, Urges Refocus on Core Demands
The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) has expressed deep concern over what it describes as growing distractions and internal conflicts undermining the struggle for justice and self-determination in the Niger Delta.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its President, Comrade Ozobo Austin, and Secretary, Tare Magbei, the forum lamented that key actors in the region are increasingly divided over issues it considers secondary particularly controversies surrounding pipeline surveillance contracts.
According to the IPF, such disagreements risk derailing long-standing efforts to address the fundamental challenges facing the oil-rich region. The group noted that in the past, similar contracts were handled by individuals and entities outside the Niger Delta without sparking such intense disputes or calls for decentralisation.
“As an intellectual arm of the Ijaw struggle, we are worried that key players are at loggerheads over a mere pipeline contract,” the statement read, stressing that the focus should instead be on pressing the Federal Government to tackle the region’s systemic neglect.
The forum emphasized that despite being the backbone of Nigeria’s oil production, the Niger Delta continues to suffer from underdevelopment, environmental degradation, and widespread poverty. It described the current preoccupation with the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited as “misplaced” and a distraction from more pressing concerns.
Defending the role of Tantita and its principal, Tompolo, the IPF highlighted the company’s contributions, including improved oil production, enhanced security, and job creation. It insisted that neither Tantita nor Tompolo should be made scapegoats in the ongoing disputes.
Instead, the forum called for renewed attention to critical demands such as environmental justice, resource control, and self-determination. It also urged the implementation of recommendations from the 2014 National Conference convened under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Among other priorities, the IPF advocated for the relocation of International Oil Companies’ operational headquarters to the Niger Delta, allocation of oil wells to local indigenes, creation of additional states, and the reconstruction of communities devastated by years of conflict and oil exploration.
The statement further noted that pipeline surveillance operations are not exclusive to Tantita, as other private security firms are also involved under existing arrangements. It warned against what it described as persistent targeting of specific individuals, urging unity among stakeholders.
The forum also cautioned leaders against airing grievances in public, urging them to resolve disputes internally to preserve the integrity of the struggle. “We cannot achieve our goals if leaders continue to fight among themselves,” it stated, calling for an end to internal rivalries and a renewed commitment to collective progress.
Reiterating the harsh realities in the region, the IPF pointed to the devastating environmental impact of oil exploration, which has eroded traditional livelihoods and damaged ecosystems.
It called on both the Federal Government and International Oil Companies to take responsibility by addressing environmental damage, compensating affected communities, and investing meaningfully in development.
The group concluded with a call for unity and decisive action, warning that the future of the Niger Delta depends on the ability of its leaders and stakeholders to remain focused on core issues.
“The struggle for resource control, environmental justice, and self-determination continues,” the statement declared. “The people of the Niger Delta must not be distracted by secondary issues at a time when fundamental challenges remain unresolved.”
