A Niger Delta environmental activist, Comrade Alex Ekerebenah, has said the current pipeline surveillance contract handled by Tantita is no longer sustainable and does not serve the broader interests of the region. He made the remarks while responding to comments by another activist, Preye Tambou, who had warned against opposition to the renewal of the contract.

Ekerebenah described the warning as an attempt to protect personal interests rather than the collective needs of Niger Delta communities. According to him, the contract has benefited only a small group of individuals, while the majority of people in oil-producing areas continue to live in poverty without seeing any direct impact from the multi-million-dollar arrangement.

He argued that no committed Niger Delta indigene would support the renewal of a contract that excludes local communities. Ekerebenah added that the era when a few people controlled huge resources while millions struggled to survive should come to an end, stressing that fairness and inclusion must guide future decisions.

The activist called on President Bola Tinubu to review the pipeline surveillance arrangement and correct what he described as past oversights. He proposed a decentralised approach that allows each oil-producing state to manage pipeline security within its territory, using local people to promote inclusion, reduce tension, and ensure lasting peace in the Niger Delta.