January 13, (THEWILL) – Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL), in collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested another vessel allegedly engaged in stealing crude oil in Niger Delta.
The vessel, MT Kali with number 8782800, was intercepted on Thursday, while allegedly transporting tonnes of illegal crude oil from offshore Sokebolou Field base in Bayelsa State.
THEWILL gathered that the crew and their local accomplices were engaged in the act of syphoning crude oil into the vessel from offshore Sokebolou Field in Bayelsa State when the combined operatives of TSSNL and NSCDC swooped on them.
According to sources familiar with the development, TSSNL intimated the incident to the National Security Officer (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu and the board and management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL).
Among those arrested and kept in custody aboard the vessel, as of Friday night, include Promise Eze and David Adeboye, who were identified as the engineer and captain of the vessel.
Executive Director, Operations, TSSNL, Captain Warriedi Enisuoh, confirmed the incident. He said the vessel was mobilised from Lagos to load crude oil illegally from offshore locations in Bayelsa State.
According to Enisuoh, one of the arrested suspects, Adeboye, said the vessel departed Lagos following assurances by their boss, whom they identified as one Adeniyi, that all security agencies (which he didn’t name) along the shore had been “settled” for a free passage. He, however, identified the thieving company’s name as San-San.
Meanwhile, MT Kali is said to have been anchored at an NNPCL location in Oporoza, the headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, while further investigations are ongoing.
