The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced plans to destroy the intercepted 800,000-litre capacity vessel with a cargo of stolen crude oil on board.
The NNPCL spokesperson, Garba Deen Muhammad, said this on Monday night after confirming the interception of the vessel in a statement.
“Following the receipt of credible intelligence, a Private Security Contractor engaged by NNPC Ltd., Messrs. Tantita Security Services, intercepted a suspicious Vessel with a Cargo of Crude oil on board on July 7, 2023,” Muhammad said.
“Details of this arrest and the outcomes of the investigations were escalated to the appropriate Government authorities, upon which it was concluded to destroy the Vessel to serve as a strong warning and deterrent to all those participating in such illegal activities to cease and desist.
“Destroying vessels involved in transporting stolen crude oil is of paramount importance as a strong deterrent.
“The illegal trade of stolen crude oil not only inflicts significant economic losses on Nigeria and legitimate stakeholders in the oil industry, but also perpetuates a cycle of corruption, environmental devastation, and social instability,” he said.
The Vessel, MT TURA II (IMO number: 6620462), owned by a Nigerian registered company, HOLAB Maritime Services Limited with Registration Number; RC813311, was said to be heading to Cameroun with the cargo when it was apprehended at an offshore location (Latitude: 5.8197194477543235°, Longitude: 4.789002723991871°), with the captain and crew members on board.
He said that preliminary investigations revealed that the crude oil cargo onboard was illegally sourced from a well jacket offshore Ondo State, Nigeria.
Muhammad stated that there was no valid documentation for the vessel or the crude oil cargo onboard at the time of the arrest.
He said that further investigation into the activities of the vessel at the NNPC Ltd Command and Control Centre also revealed that the vessel has been operating in stealth mode in the last 12 years.
According to the NNPCL spokesperson, the last reported location of the Vessel was Tin Can Port in July 2011.
Muhammad also said that the NNPCL has given its assurance to Nigerians that it will sustain the momentum in the war against crude oil theft until it is brought to a halt.
NNPCL engaged Tantita Security Services Limited as well as other third-party security firms in 2022, to help in the fight against crude oil theft in the country. Tantita Security Services is owned by former Niger Delta militant, Tompolo.
