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By Adedapo Adesanya
Some Nigerians are starting to ask questions in regards to the vessel alleged to be conveying 800,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.
Enterprise Put up understands that the ship was intercepted by a personal safety contractor, Messrs Tantita Safety Providers, engaged by the federal authorities, belonging to Mr Authorities Oweizide Ekpemupolo, identified by his sobriquet, Tompolo.
In a press release signed by Mr Garba Deen Muhammad, the Chief Company Communications Officer of the Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Firm (NNPC) Restricted, mentioned the vessel and its crew members have been apprehended on July 7 by operatives of Messrs Tantita Safety Providers at an offshore location heading to Cameroon.
He defined that the vessel, recognized as MT TURA II, IMO quantity: 6620462, was owned by a Nigerian firm, Holab Maritime Providers Restricted, with Registration Quantity RC813311.
In keeping with him, preliminary investigations revealed that the crude oil cargo on board was illegally sourced from a properly jacket offshore in Ondo State, Nigeria.
“There was no legitimate documentation for the Vessel or the Crude Oil Cargo on board on the time of the arrest.
“Additional investigation into the actions of the vessel on the NNPC Ltd. Command and Management Centre additionally revealed that the Vessel has been working in stealth mode for the final 12 years.
“The final reported location of the Vessel was Tin Can Port in July 2011,’’ he mentioned.
He additional mentioned that the main points of the arrest and the outcomes of the investigations have been escalated to the suitable authorities authorities.
This, he mentioned, was to destroy the vessel to function a robust warning and deterrent to all these collaborating in such unlawful actions.
In keeping with him, destroying vessels concerned in transporting stolen crude oil is of paramount significance as a robust deterrent.
“The unlawful commerce of stolen crude oil not solely inflicts vital financial losses on Nigeria and bonafide stakeholders within the oil trade but additionally perpetuates a cycle of corruption, environmental devastation, and social instability.
“NNPC Ltd. assures Nigerians that we’ll maintain the momentum within the battle in opposition to crude oil theft till it is delivered to a halt,’’ he mentioned.
However some Nigerians have questioned the rationale behind destroying the vessel, mentioning that it quantities to the destruction of proof. They argued that this was a ploy by the federal government to brush the matter underneath the carpet.
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