As part of efforts to increase Nigeria’s wealth and stabilise its oil economy, operatives of the Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL), the pipeline surveillance security outfit owned by the former militants’ leader, Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a. Tompolo, has intercepted a vessel, MT Tura 11, laden with 150 metric tones of stolen crude oil at the Escravos sea in Delta State.
The vessel was arrested by Tantita operatives in collaboration with the military Joint Tax Force (JTF) in the early hours of Saturday, July 4, on the high sea around the Ondo State axis of the Niger Delta creeks.
The thieving vessel, after its re-arrest, was redirected and anchored at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Addressing newsmen at Oporoza during inspection of the vessel late Monday, the Executive Director, Technical and Operations, TSSNL, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, said the s vessel had been in the thieving business for long.
He disclosed that the ship was arrested with 13 crew members during the sting operation, adding the pipeline surveillance firm had deployed both human and technical intelligence in monitoring the movements of the vessel until it was finally apprehended in the high sea around Ondo State.
“A criminal ship that has terrorised Nigerian maritime economy and sovereignty for 10 years, called Ali Riza Bay, who later changed her name to MT Tura ll, has been brought to book.
“Ten years ago, the vessel was arrested, but somehow, it escaped; since then, the security forces had been looking for it, it was really difficult to get the vessel because when it escaped 10 years ago, she changed her name from Ali Riza Bay to MT Tura ll, which was registered in Togo and since then has been stealing crude oil from Nigeria to countries like Cameroon and others.
“Unknown to the perpetrators, we have been monitoring the movements of the vessel until we finally apprehended it off the coast in Ondo State.
“The original name of the vessel was Ali-Riza-Bey, but it was altered to ‘MT Tura 11’ to evade the eagle eyes of security agencies,” Enisuooh said
Enisuoh, who vowed to lead TSSL to conscientiously salvage the oil economy of Nigeria in line with its mandate, commended the security agencies for their cooperation in the task to rid the maritime domain of all maritime criminal activities.
Speaking to journalists at Oporoza, the Commander, JTF Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferreira, who led other security chiefs to the Oporoza where the thieving vessel is anchored, said an investigation was ongoing to unmask the perpetrators of the act.
He commended the synergy among members of the OPDS – Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, NSCDC, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, EFCC and other agencies – that led to the successful re-arrest of the vessel.
Highlight of the event was handing over of the thieving vessel to the troops of the Operation Delta Safe (ODS) which is saddled with the mandate of ridding the Niger Delta of all criminality.
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