Oil theft: Tantita dismisses Navy’s collusion allegation

Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) has denied allegations by the Nigerian Navy that the firm is allegedly involved in oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta Region.

The TSSNL has been contracted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to secure pipelines and curb oil theft in the Niger Delta Region.

The Executive Director – Operations and Technical of TSSNL, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, in a statement on Friday, said that the allegation against the company by the Navy is not only libelous but bizarre and false.

Enisuoh, however, said that TSSNL would not join issues with the Navy publicly as it has already forwarded video evidence of what transpired between the Tantita operatives and the Nigerian Navy at the scene of arrest of the vessel to “highest authorities”.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a defamatory and libellous statement made by the Nigerian Navy against our organisation, Tantita Security Services Limited.”

“In the statement made on Thursday the 7th of December, 2023 by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, he informed the general public that the

Nigerian Navy had detected and arrested a 77-meter-long motor tanker for crude oil theft with her 17 crew members.”

“He further added: ‘It is believed that Tantita Security Services is involved in these illegalities because Awoye riverine area which is close to the place of arrest is covered by TSS. Again, it was upon the arrest of the vessel by the Nigerian Navy that TSS began to raise false alarms, totally unfounded and indeed mischievous.”

Enisuoh said: “We are indeed saddened and disappointed that the Nigerian Navy could descend so low as to make such bizarre accusations against our organisation knowingly to be false.”