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From Ben Dunno, Warri
A coastal tanker, otherwise referred to as a medium size ocean going vessel, identified as MT Tura II, that had been engaged in the last 13 years by the cartel that specialised in crude oil theft to neighbouring countries, had been intercepted along the border of Delta and Ondo states, while loading directly from a well head (a major location) on the sea.
Also arrested during a joint military operation and members of Tantita Pipeline Surveillance Security Outfit, last Friday, were 12 crew members on board the vessel, made up of 11 Nigerians and one Ghanaian, alongside 150,000 metric tons of stolen crude that had been siphoned.
It was gathered that the vessel built in Turkey in 1965, with a storage capacity of 500,000 metric tons, was first registered under the name ‘Ali Riza Bey’ in Togo, and found its way to Nigerian waterways since 2012 when it resumed illegal bunkering operations conveying stolen crude to Ghana, Cameroon and Togo and offloading to other vessels.
The impounded vessel was reported to have had the history of changing identities after being arrested and resuming its illegal operations along the waterways, due to the influence of the powerful cartel operating it within the nation’s maritime space.
Its latest name, MT Tura II, was said to have been incorporated in all the global satellite networks on shippings, but was not registered by any federal government agency, but had been operating within the nation’s territorial waters for over a decade.
Speaking with newsmen during the parade of the vessel at Oporoza, in Warri South West Local Government area of Delta State, the Commander, Joint Task Force, South South Operations, Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferreira, described the arrest as one of the success stories in the ongoing synergy between the military and Tantita security operatives.
He noted that the military, under the present dispensation, was more than ever determined in ensuring that illegal bunkering activities along the Niger Delta creeks and the high sea was reduced to its nearest minimum, if not completely eradicated in the region.
He called for more cooperation with the locals along the nation’s waterways in the area of divulging information to the security agencies on the activities of these criminal elements in their areas, adding that such information goes a long way in making the military and other sister agencies be well informed on how to combat the ugly menace of oil theft in our creeks.
Meanwhile, he assured that the investigation into the arrest of MT Tura II had commenced in earnest and those arrested would be further scrutinised for the role they played in the crime.
Addressing newsmen on the arrest, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director, Technical and Operations, Tantita Security, disclosed that the arrest was made possible through both physical and scientific methodology approach adopted by his team, in unraveling the identity and mission of the vessel to the very location.
He disclosed that the coordinate made available to them during satellite network search sometimes fails and that’s why they relied more on physical information from individuals which usually gives them accurate intel they work with mostly in getting results.
On the fate of the suspects arrested on board the vessel, he explained that his team was considering the option of giving them soft landing because they have been of great assistance in the ongoing investigations.
“We, when I say we, I’m talking about myself and my team in Tantita Security, are considering soft landing for the suspects because they have cooperated with us a lot during the investigations, and we intend to make a case for them”.
“But, as the military said, their investigation still continues in the matter, and we want to wait till they conclude investigations, then we can determine our next line of action,” he stated.
Speaking with newsmen during interviews, the Captain of the vessel, who identified himself as Odubiyi Samson, claimed ignorance of the operation, as he joined the company only last year, adding that this was his first voyage after he became an employee.
“I am new in the organisation. I only joined them last year and this is my first outing as a captain. Some hired the vessel and I was assigned to handle the operation, I never knew the mission of the person that hired the vessel, and I was only carrying out my duty,” he stated.
