Group Advocates Greater Host Community Role in Pipeline Protection

The United Niger Delta Congress (UNDC) has called for increased participation of host communities in the protection of oil and gas infrastructure, urging a decentralised approach to pipeline surveillance across the Niger Delta. In a press statement issued on April 14, the group said greater inclusion of local stakeholders would enhance accountability, improve intelligence gathering, […]

The United Niger Delta Congress (UNDC) has called for increased participation of host communities in the protection of oil and gas infrastructure, urging a decentralised approach to pipeline surveillance across the Niger Delta.

In a press statement issued on April 14, the group said greater inclusion of local stakeholders would enhance accountability, improve intelligence gathering, and promote stability in the region.

“The solution is clear: oil theft will be more effectively curtailed through the decentralisation of pipeline surveillance contracts,” the group stated. “When responsibilities are devolved to host communities and ethnic nationalities, accountability improves.”

The UNDC emphasised that communities have a direct stake in safeguarding oil assets located within their domains and are better positioned to monitor activities and identify threats.

“Communities will generate intelligence within their own domains and peer-review themselves and expose offenders, because they have a direct stake in protecting their resources,” it said.

The group referenced provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, noting that the law recognises host communities as critical stakeholders in the management and protection of oil and gas infrastructure.

“The PIA explicitly recognises Host Communities as central stakeholders in the protection and management of oil and gas assets within their domains,” the statement added.

According to the UNDC, a decentralised framework would ensure fairness, encourage broader participation, and reduce tensions linked to perceived exclusion in the region.

“You cannot preach peace while practicing oppression. You cannot demand stability while engineering inequality,” the group said.

It further urged strict compliance with existing laws and policies to guarantee inclusivity and equity in pipeline surveillance operations.

“The path to peace in the Niger Delta is justice. The foundation of stability is inclusion,” the group stated.

The UNDC warned that failure to adopt a more inclusive approach could heighten tensions, stressing that sustainable peace in the region depends on fairness and active involvement of host communities in safeguarding oil assets.