Dickson Bekederemo has called on the Federal Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and other pipeline surveillance contractors to explain the reported increase in the annual pipeline surveillance contract from ₦48 billion to ₦2.1 trillion.

Bekederemo said the figure, reportedly raised by Alhaji Asari Dokubo, requires urgent clarification, stressing that Nigerians deserve to know why the cost of securing the nation's oil pipelines would rise so sharply within two years.

He questioned whether the reported increase was backed by a major expansion of the contract's scope, higher operating costs or other clearly documented reasons.

“Have our pipelines suddenly extended to Cameroon, Gabon, Angola or even Sudan? What has changed so dramatically to justify such an increase?” Bekederemo asked.

He said the government and the companies involved must provide clear answers rather than expect Nigerians to accept such a huge financial commitment without access to the relevant records.

According to him, the public deserves to know how the reported amount was calculated, what services the contractors are expected to provide and which authorities approved the increase.

Bekederemo called for the publication of the original contract, all subsequent amendments, the revised scope of work, a detailed breakdown of costs and the approvals authorising the reported expenditure.

He maintained that public contracts must be open to scrutiny, particularly when they involve large sums of money that could otherwise support healthcare, education, roads, electricity and other essential services.

He warned that the importance of protecting oil pipelines should not prevent the government or contractors from answering questions about how public funds are spent.

“Pipeline surveillance is important to protecting our oil revenue, but that responsibility does not remove the need for transparency. Every naira spent must be justified, and Nigerians deserve to know whether they are receiving value for their money,” he said.

Bekederemo also urged the NNPCL and relevant government authorities to explain the basis of the reported increase and show that all contractual changes followed due process.

He said any increase in contract costs should be supported by verifiable evidence of additional work, genuine operational needs and lawful approvals.

Where the figures or documents reveal possible irregularities, he called for an independent investigation to establish the facts and determine whether any laws had been breached.

He specifically urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to examine the transaction and investigate any credible evidence of fraud, corruption, inflated costs or the improper use of public funds.

Bekederemo stressed that any individual found to have committed an offence should face the consequences under the law, regardless of political connections or official position.

He added that his concerns were not a declaration that any contractor or government official had committed a crime, but a demand for transparency and proper investigation of the reported figures.

The statement also highlighted the concerns of people in the Niger Delta, whose communities have lived with the environmental and economic effects of oil exploration for decades.

Bekederemo said the region deserved accountability, environmental protection and meaningful development, adding that the management of oil-related contracts should serve the public interest.

He acknowledged that pipeline surveillance plays an important role in tackling crude oil theft and protecting national revenue. However, he argued that the need for security must go hand in hand with financial accountability.

He called on the National Assembly and relevant oversight bodies to examine the reported increase and ensure that the government provides a clear explanation of the expenditure.

“If the reported increase is justified, the government and the contractors should present the evidence. If it is not justified, the authorities must establish what went wrong and take appropriate action in line with the law,” he said.

Bekederemo maintained that the central issue was whether the reported increase from ₦48 billion to ₦2.1 trillion reflected genuine operational needs and had received the required approvals.

He said Nigerians should not be left to rely on allegations, official silence or assurances from contractors when public money on such a scale is involved.

He called on the Federal Government, the NNPCL, Tantita and other contractors to address the questions with documentary evidence, insisting that no public institution or private company handling public funds should be beyond scrutiny.

“Our oil must be protected from theft, but our national treasury must also be protected from waste and financial misconduct. Public money belongs to the Nigerian people, not to politicians, contractors or government officials,” Bekederemo said.

He concluded that until the reported figures were explained with verifiable evidence, Nigerians would continue to demand answers about the cost of securing the country's oil pipelines.