The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) was established on October 7, 2016, under the visionary leadership of the late Chief Edwin Clark.

Its core mission was simple yet vital: to serve as a unified voice for all ethnic groups in the region and to safeguard our political and economic rights.

During that period, former President Muhammadu Buhari had declared Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, wanted by security agencies.

Speaking as Apostle Comrade Ezekiel Daniel, in my capacity as the spokesperson for Niger Delta detainees held at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja at the time, I witnessed firsthand the influence of PANDEF.

When its leaders visited us in custody, their mandate was clear, and their voice echoed across the nation so strongly that the federal authorities listened.

That respect ultimately paved the way for a political resolution of Tompolo’s legal troubles, culminating in the award of the lucrative pipeline surveillance contract to him.

However, the man whom PANDEF and key regional figures like Dr. Ambassador Boladei Igali fought to free in 2016 has reportedly transformed into a figure of terror and fear.

Rather than using the leverage gained through the pipeline contract to uplift the region, Tompolo’s operations have turned into a source of severe pain, dehumanization, and oppression for the very people he once claimed to protect.

The surveillance job that was meant to bring joy and economic relief to host communities has instead bred widespread intimidation.

Today, raising a voice of criticism against his actions carries grave consequences. Anyone who dares to challenge him risks being targeted by operative teams who move in speedboats or Hilux vehicles to abduct individuals.

Victims are forcibly taken to Oporoza in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, bound in leg chains and handcuffs, and subjected to severe brutal physical abuse.

It is both absurd and shameful that while the President and Commander-in-Chief operates within the rule of law, a private individual reportedly maintains illegal detention facilities.

This ongoing hostility was highlighted just days ago when three Itsekiri youths from the Ijala community were abducted by heavily armed operatives and transported to Oporoza.

They were only released after high-level interventions by prominent Itsekiri leaders. By the time they regained their freedom, they bore visible wounds and severe injuries from physical torture.

With over thirty young people reportedly held in such conditions, PANDEF as a body of respected fathers and mothers must step forward to bring this domestic oppression to the immediate attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the First Lady, and the Governor of Delta State.

PANDEF should demand that federal and state authorities dismantle these illegal detention setups and ensure that those responsible are held accountable under the law.

To restore lasting peace and economic stability, President Tinubu must act decisively by stripping Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services and Mathew Tonlagha’s Maton Engineering of all government surveillance contracts.

The solution lies in decentralizing the pipeline surveillance contract across all Niger Delta states, empowering local stakeholders and host communities to secure their own territories.

When communities are directly trusted with their own protection, local tyranny loses its foothold. Furthermore, decentralizing security will enhance operational efficiency, boost national crude oil production beyond 2 million barrels per day, and help Nigeria meet its revenue targets to reduce national debt.