A barge carrying 700 barrels of illegal crude oil has been intercepted while six suspected crude oil thieves have also been arrested in Opete in Delta State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to NNPC Limited, Nigeria’s national oil company, the barge and the arrests were made in partnership with Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited based on an intelligence report.
Nigeria- based online portal, The Cable, reported that Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director of Tanita Security Services, who briefed journalists, said the operation was conducted by a combined team of security agencies.
He said his outfit and Sand Mason Engineering received reports that a jetty site was being used for activities beyond its approval limits.
He said surveillance revealed that the 1000 metric tonnes capacity barge was loaded with illegal crude oil–but was declared as sewage.
According to Enisuoh, “A team of Tantita Security Services operatives continued to monitor the jetty for suspicious activities. It was observed that a sewage truck with plate number JR7750XA visited the jetty twice.
“During its third visit on May 12, 2023, the truck was accosted by the Tantita Security operatives, keeping constant vigil over the area. Upon inspection, the substance found inside the tank was not sewage, but rather, crude oil.
“The driver was arrested and handed over to government security operatives.
“The driver later revealed the destination of the contents, which took us to another yard inland, also operated by Mawe Services Limited.
“Within the Mawe Services Limited’s premises, there were two metallic cylindrical tanks of about 45,000 litres capacity each.
“Both tanks were inspected, and one was found to be filled up with crude oil.”
He said the driver of the truck confirmed that he had been transferring the contents of the barge into the tank.
He said inspection of the “yard security logbook” showed that the truck visited the location severally, adding that the contents of the truck were well spelt out as “crude oil”.
Enisuoh said the perpetrators frequently loaded the crude from the big barge into small gallons batch by batch, before transferring to illegal refineries.
“One new method they use now is that they obtain documentation and authorisation from the government to fool security agencies, then, go on to do other illegal jobs,” he said.
He said when the suspects are apprehended, they usually claim to be recently hired by their companies, “whereas they were already trained to operate in that line.”
He said part of the crude had been evacuated while the rest would go through a combustion process.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com