shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » Stolen Crude Oil: Tantita Security Service Arrests 68 Illegal Oil Vessels, Destroys 638 Illegal Refineries 

Stolen Crude Oil: Tantita Security Service Arrests 68 Illegal Oil Vessels, Destroys 638 Illegal Refineries 

by Joshua
January 5, 2023
in Featured, News

Oluyinka Onigbinde 

Findings by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that Tantita Security Services engaged by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) has  arrested 68 illegal oil vessels  for allegedly stealing Nigeria’s crude oil.

A senior official of NNPCL hinted this to our correspondent that over 68 vessels involved in crude oil theft have been arrested, while 638 illegal refineries out of 763 have been destroyed.

The official was reacting to criticism by online media reports that the  news of the barge and truck intercepted was sponsored to give credit to the security contractor.

According to him, only an expert that understands the terrain can successfully arrest thieves.

“When an indigenous contractor is performing excellently, we should celebrate the milestones and not gather to pull him down,” he suggested.

In the first of two recent high-profile discoveries by Tantita Security Services, the Maritime Intelligence Unit of the Private Security Contractor was tipped-off on the activities of a suspected vessel on December 22, 2022.

A statement issued by the NNPC stated that the security outfit mobilized and raided the location where they discovered an un-propelled barge.

 

The un-propelled barge was alternately loading Crude Oil and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in a tight creek area from an illegal storage facility within the vicinity of Agge, a short distance from the Right of Way of the Trans Ramos Pipeline (TRP).

 

Upon investigation, the barge “BRIGHTON-1” was discovered to be unregistered and undocumented with the appropriate maritime authorities.

 

The statement said the barge was arrested alongside a large wooden canoe used in conveying illegally refined AGO and a locally built wooden Tug powered by Caterpillar Fiat 850 Engine.

 

According to the statement, four suspects were also arrested on board the vessels.

 

The suspects are the Marine Engineer coordinating the BRIGHTON-1 loading and discharge operations, the skipper of the wooden Tugboat, a Ship Chandler providing logistics and supplies to BRIGHTON-1 and a speedboat driver that was delivering supplies to the BRIGHTON-1.

 

In the second discovery, an unregistered truck loaded with Crude Oil was apprehended in the early hours of December 10, 2022, discharging its illegal contents into the underground storage tanks of a fuel station belonging to Blessed Corporate Oil and Gas services Ltd, located opposite Asjam Hotel Opete, Warri.

 

Personnel from the Nigerian Army 3rd Battalion in Warri have secured the discovery location and the truck used for the operation.

 

The private security company also arrested four male suspects in connection with this discovery. Also recovered were two fuel-pumping machines being used for the operation.

 

It should be recalled that on May 2, 2019, the IGP Special Task Force on Pipeline Vandalism attached to the PPMC Depot Warri arrested four suspects with links to the owners of Blessed Corporate Oil and Gas services Ltd over the alleged involvement of vandalism and crude oil theft.

 

Investigations are in full swing, and efforts are being intensified to unravel the identity of the criminals involved in these recent discoveries.

 

In August, crude oil theft forced Nigeria’s production down to 1.1 million barrels per day far below the OPEC quota for the country.

 

By implication, crude oil theft cut the contribution of foreign exchange earnings from crude oil export from 90 per cent when production was high to 78.5 per cent as of the third quarter of 2022.

 

Crude oil export as of the third quarter of 2022 was N4.65 trillion down by 21.15 per cent from the N5.907trillion recorded in the second quarter of 2022, according to the National Bureau of Statistics ‘Foreign Trade’ reportpublished this week.

 

The Chief Upstream Investment Officer of the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Bala Wunti said the new security architecture is structure laid on technology.

 

“What it does is to bring together the security and intelligence agency in one table, the regulators in the other and then bring in what was zero, the community into the other angle and without the community, we can’t achieve that.

 

“Today, we are able to dictate, detect and we able to respond. The success that we recorded today was essential because of this improved security situation. We are now almost at an average of 350,000 to 400,000 barrels/day increase. At a certain level we recorded up to 450,000 barrels/day increase in the given year.

 

That is why you can see we are now from 1.1mbpd daily to about 1.59bpd as at today this morning. So, these are some of the things that we are able to record based on the new security architecture,” he said.

 

Wunti assured that with the collective resolve of private securities and government securities there would be further improvement in crude oil production which would, in turn, reflect in foreign exchange earnings.

shippingposition

Kindly like us on Facebook/twitter


Related Posts

Media Crucial To Nation Building- Channels TV Boss

Media Crucial To Nation Building- Channels TV Boss

January 27, 2023
Lekki Deep Seaport To Boost Non-Oil Revenue — NEPC

Lekki Deep Seaport To Boost Non-Oil Revenue — NEPC

January 27, 2023
Military Destroys 39 Illegal Refineries, Apprehends Oil Thieves, Vandals

Military Destroys 39 Illegal Refineries, Apprehends Oil Thieves, Vandals

January 27, 2023
International Customs Day:  C-G Restates Commitment To Mentor Young Officers For Effective Service Delivery

International Customs Day:  C-G Restates Commitment To Mentor Young Officers For Effective Service Delivery

January 27, 2023

Latest News

“Anyone talking about 15% equity in CVFF is ignorant”

“Anyone talking about 15% equity in CVFF is ignorant”

January 27, 2023

Industry Advises Philippines on Training as EU Considers Crew Ban

SHIPTALK: Basics About A Ship

NAGAFF Congratulates Newly Promoted Comptrollers, Charges Them On Professionalism

Beware Of Activities Against Aquatic Plants, Animals – Marine NGO Warns

The World Awaits Trial Of Crew Of Heroic Idun In A Nigerian Court

All Set For Obangame Express 2023 International Maritime Exercise

Our Real Fears About The CVFF Disbursement

VESSELS EXPECTED AT LAGOS PORTS AS AT 27TH JANUARY, 2023.

Media Crucial To Nation Building- Channels TV Boss

Lekki Deep Seaport To Boost Non-Oil Revenue — NEPC

Military Destroys 39 Illegal Refineries, Apprehends Oil Thieves, Vandals

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

Unhealthy Environment Causes 12.6m Deaths Worldwide, WHO Says
Health

Unhealthy Environment Causes 12.6m Deaths Worldwide, WHO Says

December 19, 2022

The World Health Organisation has said that the number of people estimated to have died as a result of living...

Health Benefits And Side Effects Of Bitter Leaf

Health Benefits And Side Effects Of Bitter Leaf

December 12, 2022
More Women May Die During Childbirth In West Africa — Report

More Women May Die During Childbirth In West Africa — Report

December 12, 2022
The Many Wonderful Uses Of Onions

The Many Wonderful Uses Of Onions

December 5, 2022
Nigeria Yet To Achieve 70% COVID-19 Immunisation Coverage, Says NPHCDA

Nigeria Yet To Achieve 70% COVID-19 Immunisation Coverage, Says NPHCDA

December 5, 2022
COVID-19 Cases Increasing, Continue With Preventive Measures — UITH-ARD Warns

COVID-19 Cases Increasing, Continue With Preventive Measures — UITH-ARD Warns

December 5, 2022
Panic As Monkeypox Spreads To 32 States, Cases Now 604

Panic As Monkeypox Spreads To 32 States, Cases Now 604

November 28, 2022
Over 1bn Youths Risk Hearing Loss From Headphones, Loud Music — Study

Over 1bn Youths Risk Hearing Loss From Headphones, Loud Music — Study

November 28, 2022
Consuming Undercooked Meat May Lead To Tuberculosis — Epidemiologist

Consuming Undercooked Meat May Lead To Tuberculosis — Epidemiologist

November 28, 2022
Infertility Red Flags Men, Women Should Not Ignore – Experts

Infertility Red Flags Men, Women Should Not Ignore – Experts

November 28, 2022

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition