By Godwin Oritse
In a move aimed at strengthening efforts to curb crude oil theft, Nigeria’s private security firm, Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL), has entered into a partnership agreement with United States–based Textron Systems for the supply of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Textron Systems said the drones would support security operations around Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure, which continues to face threats from crude oil theft, vandalism and sabotage.
The agreement also provides for training and the potential acquisition of additional aircraft as TANTITA expands its operational capacity. This development builds on a previous U.S. Foreign Military Sales delivery of Aerosonde drone systems to Nigeria.
The Aerosonde Mk 4.7 UAV is designed to operate without a conventional runway, utilising a hybrid quadrotor system that allows for vertical take-off and landing before transitioning to fixed-wing flight. The platform is capable of carrying multiple payloads and conducting long-endurance surveillance missions.
Speaking on the agreement, Executive Director, Operations and Technical at TANTITA, Captain Waredi Enisour, said officials of the company were in the United States to inspect drone operations and understudy the associated technical processes.
Enisour expressed optimism that the deployment of the new technology would significantly reduce incidents of crude oil theft, noting that the drones would provide wide-area surveillance coverage across the Niger Delta region.
He further disclosed that TANTITA is the first private security firm in Nigeria to acquire the Aerosonde UAV platform with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
According to him, the partnership underscores the company’s commitment to deploying advanced technology to enhance the protection of critical national oil and gas assets.
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