By TrackNews Investigative Desk
Fresh allegations have emerged over the financial structure surrounding the controversial pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta, with claims that billions of naira are being paid annually to a company contracted to monitor pipeline surveillance contractors.
The allegations were contained in a statement by a Niger Delta activist, who said he had conducted an investigation into the flow of funds connected to the pipeline surveillance arrangement involving Tantita Security Services, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and Maton Engineering.
The activist said he had previously criticised Tantita, its chairman Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Maton Engineering and other stakeholders over the reported N2.1 trillion value of pipeline surveillance contracts, arguing that the enormous expenditure had not translated into commensurate development across the Niger Delta.
However, he said his investigation had now shifted toward identifying other beneficiaries allegedly operating behind the scenes.
According to him, a monitoring arrangement was allegedly embedded in the contract structure, under which a company was appointed to monitor the activities of Tantita, PINL and Maton Engineering and submit reports.
He alleged that the company, Manroy Global Services, receives approximately N100 billion annually for the monitoring role.
The claim could not independently be verified by TrackNews as of the time of publication.
The activist identified Manroy Global Services as part of the Ocean Wave Group and alleged that it is controlled by businessman Peter Omoh Dunia, popularly known as Peter Black, with Chief Idama Amurum serving as Managing Director.
He further alleged that the arrangement has remained largely unnoticed while attention has focused on Tantita and Tompolo.
«“When the contract was given, there was one hidden part, which is a company that will be paid to monitor Tantita, PINL and Maton Engineering and submit report,” the activist alleged.»
He claimed that Manroy Global Services had been receiving payments from Tantita under the arrangement, describing the alleged monitoring expenditure as a major component of the money being spent on pipeline surveillance.
The activist also alleged that a payment from Manroy Global Services went to a company identified as Maro Kana, which he linked to Christian Ashaka, reportedly a senior security aide to Tompolo.
He claimed that Ashaka is currently an APC House of Assembly candidate in Isoko.
These claims, including the ownership and financial relationships alleged in the statement, have not been independently verified by TrackNews.
The activist said he had obtained what he described as a screenshot of a United States dollar account statement belonging to Manroy Global Services, which he claimed showed payments from Tantita.
TrackNews has not independently authenticated the document or established the circumstances surrounding the transactions displayed in the screenshot.
The allegations come amid an increasingly heated debate over the value and beneficiaries of pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta.
The activist also sought to distance Osahon Okunbo, chairman of PINL, from separate allegations that he received N2.7 trillion, saying he did not believe Okunbo had received such an amount.
He argued that the focus should instead be on establishing the actual beneficiaries and financial structure of the pipeline surveillance contracts.
“If Asari Dokubo needs to pour his anger on anyone, it should be on Peter Black,” the activist alleged, while questioning how an individual who, according to him, has no oil-producing community could allegedly benefit from such a large monitoring arrangement.
He also alleged that some funds connected to the arrangement may have been transferred outside Nigeria, particularly to Ghana, promising to release further details in subsequent publications.
The allegations come against the backdrop of calls by Niger Delta stakeholders for greater transparency in the management of oil-sector security contracts and the funds committed to protecting pipelines and oil infrastructure.
While pipeline surveillance contractors have argued that their operations have contributed to improved security and increased crude-oil production, critics have continued to demand greater disclosure of contract values, beneficiaries, subcontractors, monitoring arrangements and actual expenditure.
The latest allegations therefore raise several questions:
Who approved the alleged monitoring arrangement?
What is the actual annual value of the monitoring contract?
What services does Manroy Global Services provide under the arrangement?
How much has the company received from Tantita since the commencement of the contract?
Who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the payments?
And are the alleged payments properly captured in government procurement and financial records?
These questions can only be conclusively answered through access to the relevant contracts, payment records, bank records and official documents from the agencies responsible for supervising the pipeline surveillance programme.
TrackNews will continue to follow the money trail and seek responses from Tantita Security Services, Manroy Global Services, Peter Omoh Dunia (Peter Black), Chief Idama Amurum, PINL, Maton Engineering and other parties named in the allegations.
TrackNews Online will also publish any response or clarification from the individuals and companies concerned.
