Four suspected oil thieves have been arrested in Delta State as part of intensified efforts to curb crude oil theft and protect Nigeria’s petroleum assets in the Niger Delta.
The suspects, apprehended alongside their intercepted vessel, MT Thor, are currently facing trial for alleged economic sabotage.
Their arrest was announced at Koko Port, Delta State, during a handover exercise conducted by Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSNL), the private surveillance firm contracted by the Federal Government for pipeline monitoring.
Speaking during the handover, the Executive Director of Operations at Tantita, Captain Warredi Enisouh, disclosed that the suspects were caught onboard MT Thor with an undisclosed quantity of petroleum products believed to have been illegally sourced.
A situation report from the Special Prosecution Team (SPT) of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Product Theft stated that the vessel was intercepted on December 15, 2025, along the Koko–Escravos axis. Tantita, upon halting the vessel, alerted the SPT after observing that it was allegedly laden with illicit crude oil.
The report further alleged that MT Thor was being escorted by personnel of the Police Marine Unit, Delta State, who claimed they were acting on directives from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja.
Preliminary investigations have linked the vessel to a jetty operated by Ebenco Global Services Limited. Investigators confirmed that documents and correspondence obtained from the jetty are being examined.
“The owner of the jetty, Mr Ebenezer, was contacted and later submitted additional documents, including court orders, which are also undergoing analysis,” according to the report.
On December 16, a joint investigation team led by the Head of Investigation of the SPT held a briefing at Tantita’s Warri headquarters before proceeding to Koko for a Joint Inspection Visit. Attempts to obtain samples from MT Thor were unsuccessful initially because the vessel had not yet arrived at the jetty, having been towed by security operatives from a previous location.
While awaiting the vessel, investigators inspected other suspected crude-laden containers within the premises of Ebenco Global Links Limited and collected samples from a storage barge.
MT Thor finally berthed around 8:30 p.m. on December 16, prompting the team to adjourn sampling and related procedures to the following day. By December 17, investigators had returned to Koko to resume sample collection and conclude other investigative formalities.
Receiving the suspects, the Head of the Special Prosecution Team, Omar Sini, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to dismantling crude oil theft networks across the Niger Delta. He assured that all findings would be thoroughly reviewed and prosecuted in line with the law.
