The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has rejected a claim by Niger Delta figure Asari Dokubo that the monarch receives ₦2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts.
The monarch, through his Sole Representative to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and its joint venture partners, Prince Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, challenged Dokubo to provide documentary evidence supporting the allegation.
The response followed a widely circulated video in which Dokubo discussed pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta while defending Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Dokubo alleged that the Olu of Warri and other individuals receive about ₦2.7 trillion annually for protecting oil pipelines.
However, no contract, payment record or other documentary evidence supporting the ₦2.7 trillion figure has been publicly presented alongside the allegation.
Olu of Warri demands documentary evidence
In the statement, Edema said the allegation was too serious to be ignored because of its implications for the monarch’s reputation and the wider importance of pipeline surveillance.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the allegation that the Olu of Warri receives ₦2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts is categorically rejected,” the statement said.
The monarch’s representative then challenged Dokubo to produce the documents upon which the claim was based.
“We challenge Mr Dokubo to produce the documentary evidence upon which this extraordinary claim is based,” Edema said.
The response also called for claims concerning pipeline surveillance to be examined through verifiable records rather than public accusations.
Such records could include procurement documents, contracts, payment schedules, corporate records, government approvals and performance reports.
What Asari Dokubo alleged
Dokubo’s comments were made while defending Tompolo and his involvement in pipeline surveillance activities.
He questioned why attention had focused on Tompolo’s pipeline surveillance arrangement while, according to his allegation, other individuals were receiving substantially larger amounts.
Dokubo specifically mentioned the Olu of Warri and a businessman he referred to as Osahon, identified in several reports as Osahon Okunbo, in connection with the alleged ₦2.7 trillion annual figure.
However, reports on the remarks noted that Dokubo did not provide supporting documents for the figure. Some accounts also reported that he initially referred to the amount as monthly before describing it as an annual payment.
That distinction is important because the ₦2.7 trillion figure has not been independently established as a payment to the Olu of Warri.
It therefore remains an allegation made by Dokubo and rejected by the monarch’s representative.
Pipeline surveillance contracts have long attracted scrutiny
Pipeline surveillance has remained a sensitive issue in Nigeria because of its connection to crude oil production, oil theft, government revenue and security in the Niger Delta.
One of the best-known arrangements is the pipeline surveillance contract involving Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, associated with Tompolo.
Public reports have placed the value of that arrangement at about ₦48 billion annually. The contract was awarded by NNPC Ltd in 2022 and covers pipeline surveillance in parts of the Niger Delta.
The figure provides context for the scale of the latest allegation.
However, the reported value of the Tantita arrangement does not prove or disprove Dokubo’s separate allegation involving the Olu of Warri.
It also would be misleading to treat a corporate contract value as automatically representing the personal income of an individual connected with a company.
That is why documentary evidence remains central to resolving the latest dispute.
Olu’s camp calls for evidence-based scrutiny
The Olu of Warri’s representative argued that pipeline surveillance contracts should be subjected to institutional scrutiny because of their strategic importance.
Nigeria’s oil infrastructure remains critical to crude production and government revenue. Consequently, questions about who receives surveillance contracts, how much is paid and what services are delivered have significant public-interest implications.
The palace’s response also cautioned against allowing unverified claims to deepen existing tensions in the Niger Delta.
At the same time, the statement did not argue that pipeline surveillance contracts should escape scrutiny.
Instead, the central challenge was for allegations to be supported by verifiable evidence.
That position leaves room for legitimate investigation if documentary records supporting the ₦2.7 trillion allegation are produced.
What remains unverified
As of the latest available reports, the ₦2.7 trillion annual payment allegedly received by the Olu of Warri has not been independently verified.
There is also no publicly established evidence showing that the monarch personally receives that amount from the Federal Government for pipeline surveillance.
Similarly, the allegation should not be confused with the separately reported contracts involving other pipeline surveillance companies.
The dispute therefore remains a matter of competing claims, with the Olu of Warri’s camp demanding evidence from Dokubo.
If documents are subsequently produced, the claims could be assessed against procurement records, contractual terms, payment records and official disclosures.
Until then, the ₦2.7 trillion figure should be treated as an allegation rather than an established fact.
Why the controversy matters
The latest dispute goes beyond the individuals involved.
Nigeria has struggled for years with crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and losses across its petroleum infrastructure. Pipeline surveillance arrangements have therefore become an important part of the country’s broader efforts to protect oil assets.
At the same time, the financial value of such arrangements makes transparency important.
For the public, the key questions are straightforward: Which companies receive the contracts? What are their contractual obligations? How much does government pay? What results are achieved? And how are the contracts monitored?
Those questions can only be answered conclusively through official records and independent verification.
For now, the Olu of Warri has categorically rejected the ₦2.7 trillion allegation and challenged Asari Dokubo to substantiate his claim with documentary evidence.
