Ondo communities disagree on pipeline surveillance in Niger Delta
Oil Pipeline
BY ADETOKUNBO ABIOLA
A socio-economic and political group in Ondo State, The Mahinland Development Organisation, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources to disregard a publication which falsely claimed a “Royal Consensus” and “Full Support” for the decentralisation of pipeline surveillance in the Niger Delta.
The group made this known through a press release signed by Comrade Eniola Friday, on behalf of Mahinland Development Organisation and Mahinland Youth Federation, calling the said publication a gross misrepresentation of the facts and an affront to Ilaje land traditional leadership.
It will be recalled that on April 16, 2026, a publication, “ILAJE MONARCHS BACK AJUBE, CALL FOR DECENTRALISATION OF PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE IN NIGER DELTA”, authored by Odimientimi Agbedeyi, claimed to have a “Royal Consensus” and “Full Support” of Ilaje monarchs for specific individuals and called for the decentralisation of pipeline surveillance.
The press release said the publication completely misrepresented a consultative process regarding the centralisation or decentralisation of the pipeline surveillance contract, saying that Ilaje had sons and daughters who were experts in pipeline security and could also be considered for such a lofty project.
According to the press release, the publication did not reflect the views, interests, or official stance of the collective Ilaje traditional rulers, or the organised stakeholder groups of Mahinland and the Ilaje nation, since no traditional rulers’ council meeting was convened, nor was there any resolution passed to endorse the agenda or individuals mentioned.
The Ilaje monarchs and other security stakeholders of interest on pipeline surveillance were still in the process of engagement and consultation, the press release stated, while calling it a cheap claim by the author of the publication of having received the “blessings” of the late Oba Lawrence Omowole, the former Amapetu of Mahin, saying it was impossible to consult with the deceased.
