A national conversation has emerged over the cost, structure and effectiveness of Nigeria’s pipeline surveillance system.

The discussion also touches on whether communities in the Niger Delta should gain more economic benefit from protecting the resources taken from their environment.

However, when the issue is framed around ethnic lines and unverified figures, the focus shifts away from the core matter of energy security as a national priority.

Niger Delta activist Asari Dokubo recently questioned why Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, faces criticism over pipeline surveillance contracts while claiming that the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, and Dr Osahon Okunbo were receiving as much as N2.7 trillion annually for similar work.

The figure was first described as monthly before being corrected to annual, but no documentary evidence was presented to support the claim.

Experts note that the allegation appears to mix different companies, individuals and contracts into one large arrangement. Osahon Okunbo is linked to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited as a senior executive, and the Olu of Warri has been associated with the company’s leadership.

Corporate contract values, however, cannot automatically be treated as personal income. Earlier reports also recorded denials that the monarch personally owned the company.

The legitimate questions raised concern transparency. Nigerians have a right to know how much each contractor receives, the length of pipelines covered, the performance standards applied and the results achieved. Calls for greater community participation, local jobs and clear accountability are valid, but turning the issue into an ethnic contest over contracts risks undermining the national goal of protecting oil infrastructure.

Pipeline security is ultimately about safeguarding the country’s economic lifeline rather than deciding who “owns” the contracts. Every barrel lost to theft or vandalism affects government revenue, foreign exchange and development funding.

The real test for all contractors, regardless of background, is whether they deliver measurable value for public money while keeping the nation’s energy assets secure.