Firm engages town criers to protect trans Niger pipeline
As part of the measures to boost oil production in the country, the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has said that it has engaged two town criers in each of its 215 host communities to strengthen the surveillance of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) against vandals. PINL is providing protection to the Trans Niger […]
As part of the measures to boost oil production in the country, the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has said that it has engaged two town criers in each of its 215 host communities to strengthen the surveillance of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) against vandals.
PINL is providing protection to the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline crisscrossing Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, and Abia states.
The TNP is a critical crude oil transport route for Nigeria, with a capacity of up to 180,000 barrels per day, it is a critical oil pipeline in Nigeria that transports crude oil from fields in Rivers and Bayelsa states to the Bonny Crude Oil Export Terminal.
The TNP which is operated by Shell and NNPC, had in the past been subject to disruptions from third-party interference, such as leaks and explosions, which have led to shutdowns and significant revenue loss for the country.
In response to the threats, the Nigerian government had increased security measures to protect the pipeline including contracting Pipeline Infrastructures Nigeria Limited (PINL) to protect the facility.
Speaking during the monthly stakeholders’ meeting with host communities in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State over the weekend, the General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, said that the surveillance has sustained zero infractions along the Eastern Corridor of TNP, enabling continuous production and contributing to increased crude oil and gas output.
He said the company has also unveiled a community-based communication initiative that deploys local town criers to strengthen real-time security awareness along the Eastern Corridor of the TNP.
Mezeh explained that the engagement of two town criers, one male and a female in each community was recommended by stakeholders at the previous meeting and has now been formally adopted.
He said the town criers will play a central role in disseminating verified information, supporting ongoing sensitisation efforts, and enhancing early-warning intelligence.
Their introduction, he noted, is already improving the flow of communication across the 215 host communities in Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, and Abia states, ultimately supporting PINL’s mandate to maintain uninterrupted production on the TNP.
He reviewed that attempted pipeline vandalism has dropped by more than 87 per cent compared to 2022, a result driven by expanded surveillance operations and growing trust between PINL, traditional rulers, youth structures, and community contractors.
According to him, community-based intelligence, which previously accounted for 10.5 per cent of security information, has now risen to 68 per cent, underscoring what he described as a “significant deepening of local cooperation and shared responsibility.”
Mezeh also provided updates on PINL’s corporate social responsibility programmes.
He stated that 2,000 women who enrolled in the company’s SME support scheme have completed their data capture and account opening processes and are awaiting disbursement before year-end.
Similarly, the company’s scholarship programme is now 97 per cent completed, with beneficiaries expected to receive their awards before the close of the year.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of Ijaw National Congress (INC) Western Zone, His Royal Highness, Chief Theophilus Moses and Chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, His Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo, commended the company for its commitment to community development through its corporate social responsibility programmes and job creation.