Navy fires shots, as Tantita apprehends vessel with stolen crude

By Peters Monday, Abuja

The Nigerian Navy has been accused of shooting sporadically following the arrest of a vessel laden with stolen crude oil.

Congress gathered that the arrest was jointly made by the operatives of the Tantita Security Services Limited, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) in the coastal waters of Ondo state.

A close source said the suspected vessel was spotted loading oil from a well head off the coast of Ondo state when it was apprehended.

It was learned that a joint team of soldiers, men of the NSCDC and operatives of Tantita, a private security firm owned by Government Ekpemupolo, known as Tompolo, accosted the vessel which had naval personnel on board.

Meantime, the naval personnel reportedly declined a request by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited that the vessel be moved to its jetty at Oporoza for a joint inspection.

The source said the naval operatives on the vessel refused the request, claiming the navy had arrested the vessel and was transporting it to one of its bases.

According to the source, the Naval operatives had been shooting all day, resulting in yet another standoff between Tantita and security operatives.

The report further narrated that Tantita operatives who are implementing a pipeline protection contract with the NNPC and the federal government were concerned when the navy operatives persisted in not taking the vessel for joint inspection.

Source: TheCable