The Nigerian Navy has addressed the recent allegation concerning a vessel intercepted by Tantita Security Services, believed to be carrying stolen crude oil. The vessel was reportedly intercepted on Wednesday, carrying 8,100 barrels of crude oil, and was allegedly flying a Togolese flag. Tantita Security Services is a private security company owned by Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, a former Niger Delta agitator.
Tantita Security had claimed that the vessel was escorted by a Navy boat led by a senior naval commander, suggesting possible involvement of the Nigerian Navy. However, the Navy has refuted this claim and stated that the vessel was acting with authorization.
According to Commodore AO Ayo-Vaughan, the Naval Director of Information, the vessel, named MT PRAISEL, had been duly approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to load 1,114,721 liters of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko. The approval was for the period from July 26 to August 8, 2023.
To ensure compliance with the approval, Nigerian Navy personnel were deployed onboard to monitor the discharge of the product by MT PRAISEL at a facility. When Tantita Security Services approached an element of Operation DELTA SAFE to board the vessel for verification of the allegedly stolen product, the Navy directed the vessel to Forward Operating Base ESCRAVOS anchorage for further investigation.
Samples of the product onboard MT PRAISEL were collected on August 3, 2023, by five agencies, including NNPCL, NMDPRA, and TSSL, in line with laid procedures for laboratory testing and verification.
The Nigerian Navy’s response aims to clarify the situation and dispel any misrepresentations of the facts to the public regarding the intercepted vessel and its cargo.