Ship On Test-Run Arrested With 200,000 Litres Of Stolen Crude

Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSL) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) intercepted a ship carrying 200,000 litres of stolen petroleum in Bayelsa State.

The captain of the ship, MT KALI, who was apprehended in Bayelsa State on Thursday, Jan. 11, astounded security authorities and reporters by professing ignorance of the ship’s contents.

“I’m battling with how the vessel got filled with crude oil instead of diesel (Automated Gas Oil),” Captain David Adeboye said while fielding questions from reporters yesterday, Jan. 14.

During their parade of crew members and local collaborators at Oporoza in Delta State’s Warri Southwest Local Government Area, Adeboye stated that they were testing the vessel when they received a command to travel to Bayelsa State.

He revealed that they sailed from a base in Lagos, where the ship had been docked for more than a year for maintenance.

Adeboye, who identified their supervisor just as Niyi, explained that the crew was requested to test-run the vessel for 10 kilometres to ensure that it was fit for a long voyage.

He said: “When we set out from Lagos State where the boat had been in for more than a year. They were doing some maintenance on it. So, when we came out, we were instructed to test run the engine for like 10 miles. After 10 miles if we are satisfied that she can go as far as Bayelsa, then we should let them know.

Read Also: Security Nabs 800,000 Litre Vessel With Stolen Crude Oil

“After two hours, we got to know that one of the engines was not working.

“But the management gave us instruction to go to Bayelsa and bring Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) to Lagos.

“The original plan was to load AGO, at which point it now turned to crude, that is what I am still battling with up till now.

“Currently, we have 119 tonnes of crude oil on board the vessel. The agent brought his boys and at the end of the day filled the vessel with crude.”

Warredi Enisuoh, TSSNL Director of Operations and Technical, said the vessel was intercepted at about 12:25 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, while stealing crude oil from one of many platforms in Pennington Oil Field, Southern Ijaw.

Following an intelligence report, Enisuoh disclosed that the vessel was on TSSL’s watch list.

He said: “A few weeks ago, we have been interested in MT KALi because it has been operating in Nigeria and the International waters illegally carrying crude oil and AGO.

“This time around it was unable to carry out its act successfully. Intelligence came to us and we processed and shared it on a need-to-know basis so that the operation would be successful.

“The ship left Lagos a couple of days ago and switched off its AIS. Then we knew it was coming to the Niger Delta.

“Further intelligence revealed that it was coming to Penitin Oil Field to load illegal crude oil in Bayelsa.

“On getting to the environment, we alerted our base at Sokebolou in Bayelsa where the operation was launched.”

Enisuoh went on to say that three people were observed on top of the oil platform, one of whom was attaching the hose to discharge the substance from beneath the seabed onto the ship.

According to him, the area contains 14 platforms and two oil wells.

“It is difficult to detect which oil well was hot enough to discharge its content without the aid of a mechanical pump.

“That means there must have been an insider. It was a ship and shore connection that was able to bring the operation to a success,” he said.

Enisuoh stated that when the NSCDC operatives arrived, they assisted TSSL troops in overpowering the suspects.

He called people pushing against private security organisations’ involvement in the fight against oil theft “bunkerers.”

“We will continue to be resilient and we will definitely assist the country in resolving this issue of oil theft. We will assist also the Nigerian security forces, which are happy to participate in securing our assets to do this job,” he said.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli