A significant altercation has unfolded in the coastal waters of Ondo state, as operatives of Tantita Security Services Limited clashed with the Nigerian Navy over the arrest of a “massive” crude oil vessel. The vessel was apprehended while allegedly loading crude oil from a wellhead off the coast of Ondo.
A joint team, comprising soldiers, personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Tantita operatives—a private security firm owned by Government ‘Tompolo’ Ekpemupolo—intercepted the vessel, which reportedly had naval personnel on board. The incident escalated when the naval personnel rejected a request from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to move the vessel to its jetty at Oporoza for a joint inspection.
Instead, the naval team insisted that they had already arrested the vessel and were transporting it to one of their bases. In an attempt to prevent access to the vessel, naval personnel allegedly fired shots, leading to a standoff between Tantita operatives and the security forces.
“They have been shooting all day, resulting in yet another standoff between Tantita and security operatives,” a source reported.
Tantita operatives, responsible for implementing a pipeline protection contract with the NNPC and the federal government, stood firm on their demand to conduct a joint inspection of the vessel.
The Nigerian Navy, on the other hand, revealed that the arrest of the vessel, named MT VINNALARIS 1 Lagos, was based on intelligence indicating illegal siphoning of crude oil in the area. Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, the navy’s spokesperson, explained, “Notably, as the anti-Crude Oil Theft Patrol Team of FOB Igbokoda approached MT VINNALARIS 1 Lagos, the two boats attached to the vessel fled on sighting the Naval personnel which confirmed the engagement of the vessel in illegality.”
Ayo-Vaughan added that the vessel had a storage capacity of about 15,000 metric tonnes and had loaded approximately 500 metric tonnes of crude oil at the time of its arrest. The navy also accused Tantita of complicity in the illegal activities, stating that the Awoye riverine area, where the arrest occurred, falls under TSS coverage.
The naval spokesperson dismissed Tantita’s claims as “false alarms” and “totally unfounded and indeed mischievous.” The clash underscores the complexities and challenges surrounding maritime security and the prevention of illegal activities in Nigeria’s coastal waters.
