An illegal vessel stealing crude oil from Nigeria has been set ablaze by operatives of the Nigerian Navy, after it was arrested in the Escravos area of Delta State.
The arrest was carried out on Thursday, October 6, 2022, alongside members of a private security firm, Tantita Security Services, operated by former militant leader Tompolo.
During the arrest, over 600 cubic metres of illegally lifted crude oil in five compartments were said to be on board the vessel with registration number L85 B9.50. According to reports, the vessel was headed for Tema, Ghana.
The Nigerian Navy and Tantita Security Services personnel set the ill-fated vessel on fire at about 3 o’clock in the presence of journalists.
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Consultant for Tantita Security Services, Captain Warredi Enisuoh disclosed that the arrest was based on intelligence gathering, disclosing that his security men “monitored the space via satellite.”
He said records showed that the arrested vessel, sold to a Nigerian, had been variously “used for moving crude oil illegally for years,” disclosing that she was scheduled to take the stolen crude to Tema in Ghana.
Revealing details of the operation, the Operational Head of Tantita Security Services Limited, Chief Ebipade Kari said that the arrest was made possible because of a tip-off.
He said, “We got a tip-off that a ship was loading at the Escravos axis. The Tantita security personnel went to the place and got the ship arrested.
“While I insisted that the crew must be taken to Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom, where Tantita operational office is located. Their boss was begging me through the captain of the ship to offer me a bribe of N25m which he promised to deliver in dollars, so that I can let the ship go. But I turned down the offer”.