By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
OPERATIVES of the Tantita Security Services Ltd (TSSL) have intercepted a vessel laden with suspectedly, illegally stolen crude oil and arrested eight crew members at the Escravos River in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Stonix News reports that TSSL is owned by former militant and leader of the defunct Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo.
The company was one of the recipients of the recent pipeline surveillance contracts awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) to assist in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
Operatives of TSSL, according to GbaramatuVoice, intercepted the thieving vessel on Thursday, October 7, 2022.
The intercepted crude oil tanker, MT Deinmo, has its International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Number as 7210526.
It was laden with a yet-to-be-specified quantity of crude oil at the Escravos River in Warri South West, just as eight crew members were apprehended.
One of the security personnel said they acted on a tip-off that a ship was loading crude oil at the Escravos axis after which the operatives swung into action and arrested the vessel.
The TSSL operative further told Gbaramatu Voice that they were offered a bribe of N25m to look away, but turned down the offer.
According to the operatives, the capacity of the ship is 1,500 metric tons and had on board eight all-Nigerian crew members.
They disclosed that the captain confessed that they came in from Lagos and that if they had not been arrested, the ship would have sailed back to Lagos unhindered.
Although the vessel is said to have been handed over to the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA) in Warri on Saturday, Stonix News has yet to confirm the claim.
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