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United Niger Delta Congress, UNDC has commended the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities for recommendinh the dismissal of a petition against Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, and its Managing Director, Dr Osahon Okunbo, after reportedly finding the allegations against the company and its leadership unsubstantiated.
The UNDC, in a statement signed on Saturday by National President, Julius Obi, said the committee’s technical subcommittee had also recommended the discontinuation of further investigations, commended PINL’s pipeline surveillance operations and called for an extension of its contract by the Federal Government.
The statement, signed by the group’s National Secretary, Micheal Emaluji, in Abuja, described the development as a victory for truth, the Niger Delta and young Nigerians.
The group, which said it initiated the campaign for the decentralisation of pipeline surveillance, commended the National Assembly for what it described as its commitment to evidence-based findings.
According to the organisation, the petitioners were invited to appear before the subcommittee on September 14, September 22 and October 5, 2026, to substantiate their allegations but failed to attend the three sessions.
It claimed that the petitioners neither sent representatives nor provided documentary evidence to support their claims.
In contrast, the group said PINL appeared before the panel and submitted a written account of its operations, supported by geotagged photographic evidence.
It argued that the difference in the parties’ responses demonstrated the importance of subjecting allegations to scrutiny and assessing the performance of companies responsible for protecting critical national infrastructure.
The group also cited figures it attributed to PINL’s operations, saying the company had significantly improved crude oil delivery through the Trans Niger Pipeline since commencing operations in August 2022.
According to the statement, only three per cent of crude oil pumped through the pipeline was reaching the Bonny Terminal when PINL began operations. By September 2026, the figure had risen to 98 per cent.
It further claimed that Oil Mining Lease 11, which had been shut in for 18 months, was restarted within 90 days of PINL’s engagement.
The organisation said 2,049 illegal connections on the country’s pipelines had been remediated, while 1,010 illegal refinery clusters had been destroyed under the surveillance operations.
It attributed the reported progress to a community-based security structure involving 215 host communities and more than 35,600 surveillance guards drawn from the Niger Delta.
The group added that the operations were supported by 28 forward bases, 130 boats, 175 vehicles and 25 drones deployed to monitor oil and gas infrastructure across the creeks.
Beyond pipeline protection, the United Niger Delta Congress said PINL had undertaken community development initiatives, including scholarships for more than 5,000 children from host communities and skills training for over 4,000 women and girls.
It also said the company had provided flood relief to more than 10 communities in Rivers State.
The group argued that the surveillance arrangement had provided employment opportunities for young people in the Niger Delta while helping to curb illegal oil-related activities and protect government revenue.
It particularly praised Mr Okunbo for sustaining the company following the death of his father, Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, whom it described as a pioneer who established Ocean Marine Solutions and laid the foundation for PINL.
According to the organisation, the younger Okunbo had maintained the company’s operations through a difficult leadership transition, expanded its activities and strengthened its relationships with host communities.
It said his performance demonstrated that young Nigerians could successfully manage strategic national assignments when given the opportunity and supported by adequate preparation and experience.
The organisation urged the Federal Government to implement the committee’s recommendations and extend PINL’s pipeline surveillance contract for a longer period.
It argued that continuity would help consolidate reported improvements in crude oil production and transportation, preserve the jobs of thousands of surveillance guards and provide greater certainty for investors in the oil and gas industry.
“Stability in the Eastern Corridor was not achieved by accident, and it must not be gambled away by interruption,” the statement said.
The group also called on the government to create more opportunities for young Nigerians to take up strategic responsibilities, citing Mr Okunbo’s leadership of PINL as an example of youth participation in critical national assignments.
It commended President Bola Tinubu for sustaining security reforms in the oil and gas industry, the National Security Adviser for coordinating pipeline protection efforts and the management of NNPC Limited for providing an enabling environment for the operations.
The organisation congratulated PINL, Mr Okunbo and the company’s workforce, saying their efforts had contributed to improved security in the Niger Delta and the protection of the country’s oil assets.
However, the claims about the committee’s findings, the petitioners’ failure to appear and the operational figures were contained in the United Niger Delta Congress’s statement. The House committee’s report and independent confirmation of the figures were not provided in the statement.
