The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has rejected allegations by Niger Delta activist Asari Dokubo that the monarch and others receive N2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts, challenging him to provide documentary evidence to support the claim.
The monarch’s Sole Representative to NNPC Limited and its joint-venture partners, Prince Collins Oritsetjmeyin Edema, made the demand in a statement on Tuesday in response to Dokubo’s allegation.
Dokubo had questioned the criticism surrounding pipeline surveillance contracts involving former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo. He alleged that the Olu of Warri and Osahon Okunbo were receiving N2.7 trillion annually for pipeline protection.
The allegation has not been independently verified, and Dokubo has not publicly produced documents establishing the claimed amount.
Responding to the allegation, Edema described the claim as extraordinary and said it could have serious implications for the reputation of the Warri monarch and public understanding of pipeline surveillance arrangements.
He also stressed that pipeline surveillance was not an ordinary commercial activity because the protection of Nigeria’s oil infrastructure has direct implications for crude oil production, government revenue, foreign exchange earnings and national economic stability.
Edema said the Niger Delta had suffered the consequences of prolonged confrontation and inflammatory rhetoric, warning against statements that could reignite ethnic tensions in the region.
“The allegation that the Olu of Warri receives N2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts is categorically rejected,” the statement said.
The monarch’s representative subsequently challenged Dokubo to provide the documentary evidence on which the allegation was based.
“We challenge Mr Dokubo to produce the documentary evidence upon which this extraordinary claim is based,” he added.
The dispute comes amid continuing public debate over the transparency, value and beneficiaries of pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta.
While Dokubo’s allegation has generated controversy, the N2.7 trillion figure remains an unverified claim pending the presentation of evidence or an independent confirmation from relevant government and industry authorities.
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