After months of surveillance, personnel from Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a private company owned by Chief Government Ekpemupolo, commonly known as Tompolo, collaborated with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to apprehend a ship, MT Harbour Spirit, engaged in illegal crude oil extraction at an offshore platform in Sengana, Bayelsa State.
The vessel, identified by its IMO number 8226272, was intercepted during the early hours of Sunday, February 4. It is currently docked at the Tantita facility in Oporoza, Warri Southwest Local Government Area, Delta State, alongside 13 crew members and two community members suspected of collusion.
This recent arrest follows another interception by Tantita operatives and NSCDC personnel, which occurred just three weeks ago, involving a vessel named MT Kali, also caught illegally loading crude oil offshore in Bayelsa State.
Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director of Operations, who addressed reporters during a parade of the vessel and the suspects, revealed that they had been monitoring the ship for months and estimated that approximately 88,000 liters of crude oil had been siphoned before their intervention.
Enisuoh expressed gratitude to Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defense Staff, and Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of the Naval Staff, for their support in facilitating the arrest, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration to combat oil theft effectively.
He disclosed that the arrested vessel was not registered in Nigeria but was of “Mordovian” origin, monitored jointly by the Nigerian Navy and Tantita Security Services. Enisuoh highlighted the vessel’s presence around the Sengana field of Bayelsa and its illegal oil-loading activities.
Enisuoh noted that this was the second arrest made in Bayelsa State recently and speculated that oil saboteurs might be moving further offshore due to increased surveillance onshore.
To identify the sponsors behind the ship, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Omar Sini and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Faith Okwuego were deployed by Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to assist in the investigation.
Sini assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted, with updates provided to the public through the Force Public Relations Officer.
Captain Shittu Joseph, the vessel’s captain, confirmed their involvement in the illegal operation, stating that they were misled by their employer based in Lagos. He explained that they were directed to load crude oil from a barge and were awaiting further instructions when apprehended.