In one month under President Bola Tinubu administration, two suspected crude oil vessels have been intercepted in Delta State, South-South region.
The latest was caught at Koko area of Delta State by the Tanita Security Services, a private security company owned by Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo.
The 1117 tons vessel carrying about 8,100 barrels of crude, was being escorted by some naval officers before being intercepted on Wednesday, August 2.
According to the private security company owned by the ex-Niger Delta agitator who recently got a contract from the Federal Government to protect oil pipelines, the vessel tagged MT Praisel, was flying a Togolese flag and was being escorted by a Navy boat led by a senior naval commander.
Tanita operatives said they were met with resistance from the navy boat escorting the vessel and that the naval commander threatened to deal decisively with them. But the private operatives said they refused to back down.
They eventually contacted the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and the Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla who authorised them to inspect the vessel.
Upon entrance into the ship, the security company said they noticed that the vessel was authorised to carry products by the navy but did not have any approvals from Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the authority responsible for the regulation of the midstream and downstream petroleum operations in Nigeria, for this said voyage.
The incident comes on the heels of the outcry by the Federal Government that the illegal trade of stolen crude oil inflicts significant economic losses on Nigeria to the tune of N2.3 trillion in 12 months.
Recall that Security agencies set ablaze the vessel laden with 150 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil earlier intercepted on Escravos sea in Delta State by operatives of Tantita Security Services Limited, the pipeline surveillance security outfit owned by the former militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a. Tompolo.
The vessel, MT TURA II (IMO Number:6620462) with Registration Number, RC 813311, owned by Holab Maritime Services Limited was conveying crude oil from Nigeria to Cameroon when it was arrested last Friday with 11 Nigerians and one Ghanaian onboard.
It was set ablaze at exactly 1.09 pm on Tuesday, July 11 at a creek close to Bennett Island in Warri South West Local government area of the state.
Top hierarchy of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited as well as officials of the Delta State Government were on the ground as security operatives and personnel of the NNPCL set the vessel ablaze.
Speaking with journalists while the ship was burning, Tantita Executive Director on Technical Operations, Captain Warredi Enisuoh disclosed that the government had made “a swift decision” to destroy the vessel.
He said, “The whole idea of destroying the vessel is to send a strong message to all would-be investors that this is what they are to face if they tow this type of business”.
He further stated that illegal bunkers and their sponsors should be ready to lose their assets as the government and security forces will do all it takes to bring them to book.
The Nigerian Senate endorsed the N48 billion pipeline surveillance contract awarded by the federal government under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari to Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, a former Niger Delta militant in November 2022.
