The Nigerian Army Resource Centre has undertaken a strategic study tour of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited at Effurun in Uvwie, Delta State, as part of efforts to deepen national security policy and safeguard Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure.
The visit formed part of the Strategic Management and Policy Studies Course 8/2025 themed, “The Security of Oil and Gas Facilities in the Niger Delta: A Panacea for National Development.”
The delegation, led by the Director General of NARC, Major General J. G. K. Myam (retd.), comprised faculty members, course participants and the Commanding Officer of 3 Battalion, Warri Command.
They were received by Tantita’s management team led by Capt. Warredi Enisuoh alongside Barr. Emmanuel Jakpa, Brig. Gen. Efe Felix Edafiogor and Daisy Jaja.
During the engagement, the delegation held a policy dialogue with Tantita officials to understudy the company’s approach to securing critical oil and gas facilities across the Niger Delta.
In a keynote address delivered on his behalf, the Managing Director of Tantita, Kestin E. Pondi, said the firm’s success was anchored on a people-driven security strategy that integrates host communities into pipeline protection efforts.
“We do not protect the pipelines from the people; we protect the pipelines with the people,” Pondi said.
According to him, the company has rebuilt trust in oil-producing communities by creating employment opportunities and supporting environmental restoration in the region.
“Before now, the ecosystem was not friendly. The waters were uninhabitable for fishes and other sea animals. Today, the environment is recovering and fishermen are returning to their trade,” he said.
Pondi added that the company had deployed advanced surveillance technology to enhance operations, including the Tantita Operational Command Application across its command centres.
He disclosed that the firm also operates what he described as the largest drone fleet in West Africa to monitor pipelines and maritime corridors, alongside the use of body cameras by field operatives.
The managing director further revealed that Tantita integrates environmental and economic sustainability into its operations through initiatives such as the Tantita Rice Paddy Farm and a tree-counting software embedded in its operational application designed to generate carbon credits for Niger Delta communities.
Despite the progress, Pondi warned that crude oil pollution and environmental degradation in the creeks remain major challenges requiring urgent remediation across the region.
He also identified policy gaps, including limited implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, inactive host community funds and unclear frameworks for the disposal of seized crude oil.
Members of the delegation commended the company’s operational model, noting that agencies they had interacted with during the course spoke positively about Tantita’s role in protecting critical national assets.
They also praised the integration of environmental sustainability and community development into the firm’s security architecture.
The delegation later toured the company’s command and control centre where they observed surveillance systems used to track illegal activities along pipeline routes and maritime channels.
They were also given a demonstration of the Tantita Operational Command Application and the capabilities of the firm’s “Skywale” drone technology.
The visit ended with an exchange of honours between the two organisations and a vote of thanks delivered by Brig. Gen. A.A. Adekoya, who commended Tantita’s operational strategy, technological capacity and impact on national security.
The study tour, participants noted, underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation and community inclusion in protecting Nigeria’s critical oil and gas infrastructure.
