NDPA Debunks Viral Claims Against PINL, Hails Firm’s Impact On Regional Stability

ITODE AKARI

The Niger Delta Progressive Alliance (NDPA), has refuted a viral online publication accusing Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) of inflating job figures, mistreating workers, and struggling to survive, describing the report as “baseless and mischievous.”

The group said the unsigned article, which has been widely shared on social media, lacked credibility, authorship, and verifiable evidence.

According to a joint statement issued by NDPA President-General, Amb. Nse Victor Udoh, and its Delta State Coordinator, Felix Ejenavi on Friday, the group cautioned members of the public against believing “anonymous narratives designed to discredit a company that has contributed significantly to peace and development in the Niger Delta.”

NDPA described the viral publication as an attempt to trade suspicion for substance, noting that the piece provided no factual backing for its allegations of falsified employment numbers and poor welfare practices.

NDPA said, “Every claim collapses under basic scrutiny,” the statement read. “There is no author, no credible outlet, and no traceable data to support the dramatic accusations.”

The group emphasized that PINL’s employment record of about 35,000 youths from the region had been independently reported by reputable media platforms such as Vanguard, The Guardian and ThisDay.

NDPA, clarified that the company’s workforce includes field technicians, local suppliers, and clerical staff working under verified pipeline surveillance contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

“These are not faceless statistics. They are real people earning a living in communities that once knew only unemployment and restiveness,” NDPA insisted.

The group contrasted the verified data with the counterclaim of less than 5,000 workers, which it said, had no source, no supporting document, and no corroboration.

The NDPA also highlighted PINL’s model of community-based surveillance as one of the reasons behind improved pipeline protection and reduced oil theft in the region.

The statement reads in part, “Unlike past security models built on coercion, PINL’s approach relies on trust, intelligence sharing, and local participation, giving host communities a sense of ownership and responsibility.

“The result has been a 16-year low in crude oil losses and sustained operations across the Eastern Corridor.

“As of July 2025, Nigeria’s gas output reached 7.59 billion standard cubic feet per day, a figure the group linked partly to increased operational stability.

“This is peacebuilding in practice, It is happening not in policy documents but in the creeks, where the pipelines actually run.”

Addressing claims of mass dismissals and seizures of vessels, NDPA said there was no record to support such allegations, either official or otherwise.

The group explained that what the accusers of PINL described as “mass sacking” were in fact routine operational adjustments common in the oil and gas logistics sector.

“The truth is that PINL operates within transparent and verifiable structures.

Payments are traceable, contracts are documented, and partnerships are conducted in line with established procedures,” the group clarified.

NDPA acknowledged that while no company is beyond scrutiny, it is important to also take into account measurable progress.

“PINL has contributed to improved oil output, reduced vandalism, and greater investor confidence in the region.

“The benefits are visible, in calmer creeks, in young men and women earning honest wages and in the reduced tension across host communities.”

NDPA used the opportunity to urge citizens against spreading unverified information, warning that such misinformation when circulated undermines progress and damages community trust.

“The Niger Delta has long been a theatre of competing narratives. Criticism is healthy, but it must be grounded in fact, not fury. What our region needs now is careful honesty, not more suspicion dressed as courage,” NDPA asserted.

NDPA however reaffirmed its support for transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector, noting that PINL’s operations had demonstrated a community-conscious model worth building upon.