By Our Reporter
The Niger Delta Stakeholders Forum (NDSF) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for what it described as significant progress in restoring sanity to Nigeria’s national security landscape, particularly in the Niger Delta.
In a statement issued Wednesday in Port Harcourt, titled “The Silent Wins of Nigeria’s National Security Architecture and the Task Ahead – Part 1: Focus on the Niger Delta and War Against Crude Oil Theft,” the group highlighted ongoing efforts to curb crude oil theft and strengthen security coordination across the region.
The statement, jointly signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Barrister Andrew Mene, Secretary Rowland Abarasi Tamunopiri, and Publicity Secretary Umukoro Joseph Erhimeyoma, noted that national security remains a critical driver of development, though often misunderstood or overlooked.
According to the group, the Tinubu administration, working through Ribadu, has adopted a holistic national security strategy that goes beyond military action to include economic, environmental, and human security components. It likened aspects of the approach to doctrines advanced by former U.S. President Barack Obama, particularly the emphasis on multi-dimensional security frameworks.
The Forum credited the NSA with strengthening coordination among security agencies, the Armed Forces, and international partners, alongside deploying advanced surveillance technologies and intelligence systems in the Niger Delta.
It said these combined efforts—both kinetic and non-kinetic—have significantly reduced crude oil theft and attacks on oil infrastructure, citing industry data indicating up to an 80 per cent drop in breaches between May 2023 and January 2026.
“This has created a more stable operating environment for oil and gas companies, boosted production, and improved economic activities across the region,” the statement noted.
The group further linked the improved security to increased oil output, estimating an 80 per cent rise in production within the same period, alongside gains in job creation, community development, and environmental management.
While acknowledging the progress, the NDSF stressed that more work remains, particularly in addressing emerging security challenges in other parts of the country. It, however, expressed optimism that sustained implementation of current strategies, with public support, would consolidate the gains recorded so far.
The Forum concluded that the “largely unsung” successes in the Niger Delta demonstrate the effectiveness of Nigeria’s evolving national security architecture under the current administration.
