BREAKING: Navy Reacts To Allegation Concerning Vessel Carrying Stolen Crude Intercepted By Tompolo’s Tantita Security Outfit (FULL STATEMENT)

BREAKING: Navy Reacts To Allegation Concerning Vessel Carrying Stolen Crude Intercepted By Tompolo’s Tantita Security Outfit (FULL STATEMENT)

The Nigerian Navy has refuted an allegation concerning a vessel carrying stolen crude oil, which Tantita Security Services purportedly intercepted in the Koko area of Delta State on Wednesday.

Tantita Security outfit is a private security company owned by Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo, a former Niger Delta agitator who recently signed a contract with the Federal Government to protect oil pipelines.

The 1,117-tonne vessel allegedly intercepted was carrying about 8,100 barrels of crude oil, according to the security outfit.

Read Also BREAKING: Tinubu Replaces Ministerial Nominee, Picks Keyamo, One Other (DETAILS)

Operatives of Tantita Security claimed that the vessel, named MT Praisel, was flying a Togolese flag and was being escorted by a Navy boat led by a senior naval commander.

However, the Navy, in a statement on Friday by its Director of Information, Commodore AO Ayo-Vaughan, opposed the notion that the vessel was acting without authorization.

“To set the record straight and avoid misrepresentation of facts to unsuspecting members of the public, MT PRAISEL was duly approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to load 1,114,721 Litres of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from 26 July – 8 August 2023,” the statement read.

“This has been substantiated by NMDPRA. In line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and to ensure strict compliance with the NMDPRA approval, Nigerian Navy personnel were deployed onboard to monitor the discharge of the product by MT PRAISEL at a facility in Bonny.”

According to the Navy, on August 2, 2023, Tantita Security claimed to act on intelligence and alleged that the vessel was laden with stolen crude oil.

The security outfit reportedly approached an element of Operation DELTA SAFE to board the vessel to verify the allegedly stolen product.

“Accordingly, the Nigerian Navy directed the vessel to Forward Operating Base ESCRAVOS anchorage for further investigation of the product onboard,” the Navy noted.

“The samples of the product onboard MT PRAISEL were collected on Thursday, August 3, 2023, by 5 agencies including NNPCL, NMDPRA, and Tantita Security Services in line with laid procedures for laboratory testing and verification of the claim.”

See the full statement below;