Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) a pipeline security and monitoring firm, has announced the expansion of its operations to cover all oil and gas assets located near the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) at no cost to the government or host communities.
The company, which already oversees surveillance along the eastern corridor of the TNP, said the decision to extend its services “pro bono” reflects its commitment to national development and the protection of Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure.
This was made known by Dr. Akpos Mezeh, General Manager of Community Relations and Stakeholder Engagement at PINL, during a stakeholders’ meeting with host communities along the TNP corridor in Bayelsa State on Sunday.
According to Mezeh, the company’s expanded surveillance will enhance security and deter acts of vandalism, theft, and sabotage that threaten the nation’s oil and gas output. “PINL has voluntarily taken on the responsibility of providing security for all oil and gas assets in close proximity to the TNP, even though they are not under our current operational mandate,” he stated.
He urged community stakeholders to remain vigilant and provide real-time intelligence on any suspicious activities around critical national assets, stressing that collective efforts were key to achieving sustainable security in the Niger Delta.
Mezeh also announced that Biseni community had been officially included in PINL’s operational coverage, while discussions were underway to extend similar benefits to communities in Sagbama Local Government Area.
Providing an operational update, he reported that there were no cases of pipeline vandalism across Bayelsa State and the entire TNP corridor during the month of September. He attributed the success to effective collaboration among PINL, security agencies, and local communities.
“The synergy between our field operatives, host communities, and security agencies has ensured uninterrupted oil and gas production, improved funding for host community development trusts, and enhanced peace across the region,” he said.
Mezeh further disclosed that data collection had been completed for the company’s Women Entrepreneurs & Empowerment Initiative, which aims to support 2,000 women and girls from host communities in Abia, Imo, Rivers, and Bayelsa States. The initiative focuses on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and vocational skills. Verification is currently ongoing, and beneficiaries will soon be contacted, he added.
On youth development, Mezeh revealed that scholarship payments were being processed, with disbursements expected by November, while new applicants from underrepresented communities had been added to the scheme.
In his remarks, Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), commended PINL for its consistent engagement with host communities and its corporate social responsibility efforts. He urged communities to continue supporting the company’s operations, emphasizing peaceful collaboration over confrontation.
Similarly, Jonathan Lokpobiri, President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), applauded PINL’s partnership with security agencies, noting that the initiative had significantly reduced oil theft and environmental degradation in the region.
Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Mr. Bulodisiye Ndiwari, also confirmed that there had been no incidents of oil theft or pipeline vandalism in the area since August 2025.In a goodwill message, the Project Monitoring Office of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) pledged continued support for PINL’s collaborative approach to safeguarding vital national energy infrastructure.
