EXAMINING THE TANTITA SECURITY SERVICES AND ILLEGAL BUNKERING ACTIVITIES IN BAYELSA STATE

Abstract

This study examined the role of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd in curbing crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State. With the region’s extensive oil reserves and waterways, Southern Ijaw has been a hotspot for illicit activities that undermine Nigeria's economy, fuel environmental degradation, and threaten community
livelihoods. The objectives of the study among others are find out the new strategies adopted by Tantita and their effectiveness in curbing crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities in Bayelsa state. To achieve the study's objectives, a survey technique was applied using a questionnaire and Key person interviews as the research instrument. The sample size for the study was 200. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to choose the samples (i.e., simple random and purposive sampling techniques respectively). In the course of the study, 148 questionnaires were retrieved, collated, and analyzed. Two analytical techniques were adopted: descriptive statistics (mean score) and thematic analysis. The first was employed to evaluate the research objectives while the second was opted to
analyze the data from the interviews. The findings revealed that Tantita Security Services, through collaborative intelligence gathering, advanced surveillance technologies, and robust community engagement, has significantly disrupted the operations of oil thieves and illegal bunkers in the area. The study underscores the importance of sustained investments in private security partnerships, policy
reforms, and community-inclusive strategies to ensure long-term success. Based on the findings, it was advised that the government should improve coordination among security and regulatory organizations to expedite operations and information exchange. Improved inter-agency collaboration will decrease inefficiencies, assure faster reaction times, and strengthen the overall capacity to combat crude oil theft and unlawful bunkering.