Tantita Security Services has intercepted a vessel allegedly carrying stolen crude oil in the Koko area of Delta State. New Telegraph gathered yesterday that the interception occurred on Wednesday while the 1,117 tons vessel carrying about 8,100 barrels of crude, was being escorted allegedly by some naval officers.
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Tantita Security outfit is a private security company owned by Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo, an ex-Niger Delta agitator who got a contract from the Federal Government to protect oil pipelines.
Operatives of the security firm said the vessel, tagged MT Praisel, had a Togolese flag and was being allegedly escorted by a Navy boat led by a senior naval commander. They claimed to have met with resistance from the alleged navy boat said to be escorting the vessel and that the naval commander threatened to deal decisively with them. They have said they refused to back down.
The operative, who preferred not to be named said 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.
According to them, upon entrance into the ship, they noticed that the vessel was allegedly authorised to carry products by the Navy but did not have any approvals from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Federal Government agency responsible for the regulation of the midstream and downstream petroleum operations in Nigeria, for the voyage.
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