Following the alarm raised by Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, (NNPCL(, Mele Kyari, last Friday, that the authorities had discovered over 4,800 illegal connections on the national crude oil pipelines, those familiar with the operations have accused some highly-placed oil bunkerers were colluding with crooked security officials to frustrate the country’s oil production.
This is happening in spite of the surveillance on the pipelines by the lead security agency of the nation’s coastal territory, the Nigerian Navy, Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), including a private security contractor, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, (TSSNL).
While Kyari made noise about the bizarre development, those familiar with the operations were not bewildered, for according to them, some highly-placed oil bunkers were colluding with crooked security officials to frustrate the country’s oil production.
According to reports, operatives of the nation’s security agencies have been working hand-in-glove with oil bunkerers at a notorious location between Delta and Ondo States in the past few months, where officials allegedly provide cover for oil thieves.
An oil baron is purportedly working with highly wired persons, especially in the military, some oil companies, and experts to steal crude oil directly from pipelines and well jackets.
The operatives of TSSNL, operated by ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, have found it difficult to break the vice-like grip of the oil bunkers in said axis of the Niger Delta, which is the biggest leak point at the moment, presumably because of the protection they enjoy from security accomplices.
However, it does not seem that the security collaborators have the support of the hierarchy of the Nigerian Navy in the dubious transactions. Still, they appear well established in the system, with the manner, which they have been able to deploy half-truths to counter information about their activities, over the years.
Its spokesperson, Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, in a statement, dismissed the contention that the TSSNL had no power to arrest vessels loading crude oil, he said, “Every Nigerian citizen has the power of arrest; because, you cannot stand by and see something going wrong and allow people to damage the country”.
“My (Tantita) contract empowers me to arrest; which is why I carry military personnel with me. I do not have the power to bear arms. However, in this case, there is a situation whereby evidence or intelligence indicates that there are arms and ammunition in their vessel, therefore, I cannot proceed.
“That is why we have to carry armed personnel to the scene; so that if there is resistance, the armed forces can respond”.
