The Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL) has impounded MT Kally, an ocean-going vessel laden with stolen crude oil in Bayelsa barely twenty four hours the Nigerian Navy launched “Operation Delta Sanity” in Warri.
The vessel, laden with an unspecified thousands of metric tonnes of stolen crude oil was impounded on Thursday in a joint operation by the officials of TSSL and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
TSSL, a private security outfit is owned by a former militant commander in the Niger Delta, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
The crew and their accomplices were caught siphoning crude oil onto the vessel from offshore Sokebolou field in Bayelsa.
On board the vessel were: the engineer and captain of the vessel, Promise Eze and Adeboye David respectively as well as some of the accomplices, who were members of some oil communities in Bayelsa
Preliminary report revealed that the first manifold of the vessel was being loaded before the intervention of the security team.
It was reliably gathered the the TSSL had intimated the incident to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)
Eze and Adeboye were interrogated by the Executive Director, Operations, TSSL, Captain Warriedi Enisuoh.
The duo confessed that the vessel was mobilised from Lagos to load crude oil illegally from offshore locations in Bayelsa.
According to them, they departed Lagos following assurances by their boss whom they declined to mention name.
“That all security agencies along the shore have been compromised to give them unfettered passage to carry out the illicit business.
“But they also refused to name the security agencies involved in the unholy alliance.They gave their company’s name as San-San,” Enisuoh said.
He also said that the vessel had been anchored at a location of NNPCL in Oporoza in Delta adding that the suspects were kept on board the vessel as investigations continues.
Recall that the “Operation Delta Sanity” was launched on Wednesday in Warri by the
.Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla to further combat crude oil theft and other criminalities in the maritime space.
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