Forensic experts and key stakeholders have backed collaborative efforts in strengthening pipeline security, which they said has driven higher crude oil production and boosted national revenue.
They spoke at the end of a two-day National Dialogue on Pipeline Security in Abuja, where participants linked recent gains in oil output to coordinated surveillance
The dialogue, themed ‘The Imperative of Concerted Efforts by Citizens in Protecting National Assets’, was organized by the Forum of Forensic Civil Society Groups in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency. It featured civil society organisations, security experts, policy analysts, community leaders, and government representatives, who brainstormed on ways to address challenges facing Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure.
Participants at the dialogue noted that Nigeria’s oil pipelines remain the backbone of the economy, with improved security directly enhancing revenue generation and the government’s ability to deliver on public obligations.
Recent rises in production levels and the decline in pipeline vandalism was attributed to structured surveillance. They equally warned against any disruptive changes that could reverse recorded gains.
A communique issued after the event by Dr. Opialu Fabian, said, “The dialogue observed that recent improvements in crude oil production levels and the relative decline in pipeline vandalism are closely tied to more coordinated and structured surveillance frameworks. These gains, participants agreed, must be preserved and strengthened rather than subjected to disruptive experimentation.
“The Forum expressed concern over increasing calls to fragment pipeline surveillance arrangements under the guise of inclusion, warning that such approaches risk undermining operational coherence, weakening accountability mechanisms, and creating vulnerabilities that could be exploited by criminal networks.
“Participants emphasised that pipeline protection is not a routine contractual engagement but a sensitive national security function requiring discipline, trust, intelligence coordination, and a clear chain of command. As such, it cannot be treated as an avenue for political accommodation or patronage distribution.”
In the same vein, the participants stressed that introducing unvetted actors into surveillance operations could compromise intelligence and embolden oil theft syndicates, which have previously caused billions in lost revenue.
While acknowledging the need for host community involvement, they insisted that inclusivity must come through structured engagement and capacity-building without sacrificing efficiency or security.
The dialogue, according to the communique, highlighted that breaches in pipeline security affect the entire nation through reduced public spending, economic instability, and stalled development, urging that protection of national assets rise above sectional interests.
The participants in the same vein cautioned against politicising the debate on the pipeline surveillance contract, saying inflammatory narratives could heighten tensions in the Niger Delta and divert attention from core security goals.
“Participants agreed that the protection of national assets must transcend sectional interests, as the consequences of pipeline breaches are borne collectively through reduced public spending, economic instability, and weakened national development.
“The Forum also cautioned against the politicisation of pipeline security debates, noting that inflammatory narratives around entitlement risk aggravating tensions in the Niger Delta and distracting from the primary objective of safeguarding national infrastructure,” the communique added.
The forum called for consolidation of current gains by sustaining effective coordinated surveillance models. The participants stressed that any reforms must be evidence-based, prioritising national interest and rigorous security assessments over pressures from interest groups, while strengthening oversight, transparency, and accountability in existing frameworks.
Stakeholders were advised to use constructive channels in expressing their concerns, to avoid disrupting operations.
The communique added, “The Forum concluded that safeguarding Nigeria’s oil infrastructure requires not just participation, but precision, coordination, and a shared commitment to national stability.
“In this regard, participants reaffirmed that some responsibilities, by their nature, demand structured control and strategic discipline rather than broad-based distribution.
“The dialogue closed with a renewed call for unity of purpose, urging all stakeholders to place national interest above sectional considerations in the ongoing effort to secure Nigeria’s economic lifeline.”
