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Barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Navy, led by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, launched a new outfit, “Operation Delta Sanity” with pomp in Warri, Delta State, to halt oil theft, 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 a voluminous tonnes of illegal crude oil from offshore Sokebolou Field base in Bayelsa State.
TSSNL, a pipeline surveillance security firm, is owned by a former militant commander in the oil-rich Niger Delta, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
Among those arrested and kept in custody aboard the vessel as of Friday night are Promise Eze and David Adeboye who were identified as the engineer and captain of the vessel.
Adeboye was quoted as saying their accomplices included some folks in some oil communities in Bayelsa State.
Feelers had it that the crew and their local accomplices were engaged in the act of siphoning crude oil into the vessel from offshore Sokebolou Field in Bayelsa State when the combined operatives of TSSNL and NSCDC swooped on them.
It was gathered that the first manifold of the vessel was being loaded with the crude oil before the interception of the security operatives.
TSSNL is said to have intimated the incident to the National Security Officer (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the board and management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL).
The two principal suspects, Eze and Adeboye were grilled by the Executive Director, Operations, TSSNL, Captain Warriedi Enisuoh.
He said the vessel was mobilised from Lagos to load crude oil illegally from offshore locations in Bayelsa State.
Ekiti State-born Adeboye, according to Enisuoh, 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, the thieving vessel, MT Kali, is said to have been anchored at an NNPCL location in Oporoza, the headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, while further investigation are said to be ongoing.
