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Niger Delta ex-war lords including His Royal Majesty, Dr Ateke Michael Tom, the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom and the Sekuro of Niger Delta, Asari Dokubo, Ajube Bibopori, (Gen. Shootaside) and Victor Ben Ebikabowei, (Gen. Boyloaf) have met on how to resolve the issues of oil theft.

This is coming as the Ijaw Youths Network commended President Bola Tinubu for renewing the pipeline protection contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Limited for another three years.

Oil Assets Surveillance Contractors Forum, OASCF, yesterday said it discovered a major tapping on the Trans-Niger Pipeline, TNP, used by oil thieves in syphoning crude from the facility in Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers state.

The foremost former militant leaders and key stakeholders from the six states of the Niger Delta region met on Saturday at the Palace of King Ateke, Okochiri Kingdom, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

A source privy to the development said the meeting was convened to discuss ways and strategies needed for overseeing the pipeline surveillance contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.

The source, which did not want his name mentioned, said those in attendance also shared the objective of intensifying their efforts to combating illegal refining which is affecting the environment.

The source noted that the former warlords expressed commitment to boost collaborative endeavours aimed at safeguarding the pipelines and other critical infrastructure in the area.

The source further said the meeting is a collaborative approach with the ability to ensuring a turnaround in the ongoing struggle against oil theft, with far-reaching benefits for the entire region and the Nigerian economy.