From Ben Dunno, Warri
The Western Zone Operatives of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL), in conjunction with Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), at the weekend took the battle to the notorious hideout of criminals that specialises in crude oil theft in Ilaje Local Government area of Ondo State, destroying the entire camp.
Destroyed alongside the long stretch makeshift warehouse located along Alowe sea shore, where the oil thieves store the stolen crude, were over 700 kegs fully loaded and estimated at about 21,000 litres of crude oil used for local refining of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) also known as diesel.
The invasion of the notorious camp carried out in the early hours of Sunday (yesterday), was sequel to reliable intel and months of close surveillance on the activities of the oil thieves in the area by the combined team of Tantita Security operatives and officials of NSCDC.
Making this disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri today, the Executive Director, Operations and Technical Services of TSSNL, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, noted that the operation was in line with Tantita’s zero tolerance on oil theft within its coverage areas.
He hinted that the Commander of TSSNL in the Western Corridor of Ondo State, Chief Idowu Adonis, who had been keeping close watch on the activities at the camp for a while, led his team with the NSCDC operatives on the camp raid.
According to him, the voluminous crude oil, which was adulterated, stored in a large, locally-built reservoir, and being sold to local buyers by the saboteurs, was suspected to be siphoned from the Trans-Escravos pipeline.
He said that the suspects operating the illegal crude oil storage camp, seeing the game was over, fled the scene in their speed boats during the gun battle with NSCDC operatives.
“It’s indeed a successful, but stressful trip. Our agents in Awoye area hinted to us about the perpetuation of the evil act carried out in that area.
It was a well fortified camp which the perpetrators believed was impenetrable for security agents, but we shocked them,” he stated,
Captain Enisuoh further disclosed that all the 700 kegs containing 21,000 litres of adulterated crude oil, two wooden boats laden with crude oil as well as the entire illegal camp were set ablaze to serve as a deterrent to others.
Meanwhile, Captain Enisuoh admonished community dwellers in the Niger Delta, especially the Ilaje area, to desist from crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and its variants, urging them to support the war against economic sabotage being led by TSSNL so that the country can bounce back economically and nation will be great again.