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Court dismisses suit challenging award to Tantita Security
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Plaintiffs fail to demonstrate legal interest or cause of action
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Tantita credited with combating oil theft in Niger Delta
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of AGIP Indigenous Contractors Association and 43 others.
It challenged the award of a pipeline surveillance contract by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to Tantita Security Services Limited, owned by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo).
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Delivering judgment, Justice Mohammed Umar held that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi and had failed to demonstrate any legal interest in the matter. He ruled that the suit disclosed no reasonable cause of action, striking it out entirely.
The plaintiffs alleged that NNPCL and its former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, unlawfully awarded the contract, claiming indigenous operators were denied a fair opportunity to bid, contrary to the Nigeria Oil and Gas Content Development Act 2010.
NNPCL, however, dismissed the claims as unfounded, asserting that Tantita and other contracted firms had proven effective in combating oil theft. The company cited increased crude production, interception of illegal vessels, and dismantling of illicit pipelines as evidence of their performance.
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Justice Umar described the plaintiffs as “meddlesome interlopers and busybodies,” ruling the case inadmissible due to lack of legal standing and absence of a valid cause of action.
Tantita Security and other engaged outfits were contracted to protect critical oil infrastructure.
Operations in 2024 reportedly led to notable successes, including the arrest of a tugboat carrying illegally refined diesel off Rivers State in April. That week alone saw 155 reported cases of crude theft in the Niger Delta, with Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa states recording 38 arrests for sabotage-related offenses.
The ruling affirms NNPCL’s authority in awarding contracts to security outfits deemed capable of protecting Nigeria’s oil assets, highlighting the ongoing struggle against crude theft in the Niger Delta.
