33 months unpaid rent threatens war against oil bunkering

By Jimitota Onoyume, Assistant News Editor

The war against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta may be facing an unlikely, yet potent, enemy from a massive backlog of unpaid rent for House boats used to combat illegal bunkering activities and related maritime crimes

The Nigerian Army and three indigenous houseboat contractors in the Niger Delta have been at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, over 33-month-long disputes on allegedly unpaid rental services. It is no longer just a financial matter. It is emerging as a critical threat to the nation’s fight against oil theft.

The suit, instituted by Peaches Integrated Services Limited, Etucom Integrated Services Limited, and Godsam Industrial Services Limited, is seeking to compel the Attorney General of the Federation, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe, to settle outstanding debts. But the collateral damage of this legal battle is far more severe than a simple breach of contract.

A security expert, Mr Owunari Otozi observed in a chat with the Niger Delta Voice that the House boats are not luxury items; they are floating operational bases for military personnel tasked with securing the creeks and waterways from the very oil thieves that have crippled Nigeria’s oil production. Continuing he said with the contractors now demanding the release of their boats for overdue maintenance and threatening to withdraw them from service, the military’s ability to patrol the vast, treacherous terrain of the Niger Delta is being severely compromised.

The plaintiffs allege that the non-payment has accumulated over 33 months, a period during which their boats have been deployed in active military operations. The financial strain has been crippling workers of the affected companies.

They recently protested over unpaid salaries and mounting family responsibilities. Their plight, however, is a symptom of a larger, more dangerous problem.

Owunari further warned that if the House boats are not released for maintenance, or if the contractors are forced to halt services due to lack of funds, the JTF’s operational reach will be drastically reduced.

“ This creates a power vacuum that illegal bunkerers are all too ready to exploit. The war on oil theft is fought not just with rifles and intelligence, but with logistics.

A grounded boat means a grounded surveillance team, an unpatrolled pipeline, and a free pass for economic saboteurs “, he said.

During Monday’s proceedings, Justice Stephen Pam adjourned the matter until October 22, 2026, to allow for a potentially amicable settlement. Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Reuben Wanogho, informed the court that the Commander of JTF, Operation Delta Safe, had requested a proposal for settlement—a sign that the military recognizes the operational risk of a prolonged dispute.

Yet, the counsel to the first defendant, I.K. Diri, claimed ignorance of the proposed settlement. The contractors and their workers are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, warning that resolving this dispute is not just about easing the financial pressure on indigenous businesses. It is about safeguarding the nation’s oil infrastructure. They hope the October 22 settlement report will mark a turning point, enabling them to recover their boats, carry out necessary maintenance, and return them to service.

But until the bills are paid and the boats are back in the water, the war against oil thieves in the Niger Delta remains dangerously short of its most vital assets. The creeks are watching, and the oil thieves are counting on the silence of a grounded fleet.

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