NNPCL, Tantita arrest crude oil thieves, vandals in Delta State

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced that its partner, Tantita Security Services has arrested six oil vandals and seized a barge laden with 700 barrels of illegal crude oil in Opete, Udu Local Govt, Delta State.

The national oil company made this known in a statement released at the weekend following the latest discoveries made by the security outfit linked to Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo, a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta.

According to the statement, one of the discoveries was a jetty belonging to one Mawe Services Limited in Opete, Udu Local Government of Delta State.

NNPC claimed that the facility was illegally used to transfer the illegal crude to another of its facility serving as a depot.

It further stated that the six suspects arrested for the offence are currently being detained by the security agencies while the barge used has been safely destroyed.

Captain Warredi Ensuoh, Executive Director, Operations and Technical of Tantita Security Services in the statement confirming the arrest, said that the operation was conducted by a combined team of security agencies acting on intelligence.

This is the latest is coming on the sideline of the successes that have been achieved in the past by the private security outfit, including the discoveries of a key illegal underwater pipeline and platform connected to the 48–inch Trans-Forcados Export Trunk Line in Delta State from which bunkers, together with government and security accomplices, directly siphoned  crude oil into ships and export overseas.