The captain of a vessel arrested in Bayelsa state by operatives of Tantita Security Services, on allegations of crude oil theft, has denied knowing how crude oil was loaded unto his ship
The suspected vessel, MT KALI with IMO N0. 8782800, is being held at Tantita Operational Base in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The vessel weighing 3,000 tons was loaded with 119 barrels of suspected stolen crude when the operatives of TSL intercepted it.
A source said that the vessel was intercepted in the Ekeni area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Thursday, January 11, 2024.
The vessel’s captain, David Adeoye, insists he was mandated to move from Lagos to Bayelsa to load Automative Gas Oil (Diesel).
He says this same instruction was passed to the agent who was to contact the ship at Pennington oil field where he was to receive the consignment
Adeboye spoke to Media at Oporoza, Delta State during a tour of the arrested vessel by Journalists.
He further explained, “When we set out from Lagos, the boat had been in Lagos for more than a year, they were doing some maintenance on it. So when we came out, we were instructed to test run the two engines for like 10 miles and after 10 miles if we certify that it can go as far as Bayelsa, we should let them know.
“So after the test run for two hours, I got to them that one of the engines is not too good but we can manage it, so they gave us instruction that we should go to Bayelsa (at Pennington)!that we are going to bring back AGO.
So at which point it turned to be crude oil that’s what I am battling to figure out.” He stated.
Adeboye however narrated that the agent was the person who brought the boys that loaded the vessel with crude oil
On his part, Executive Director, Operations, Tantita Security Services, Captain Warriedi Enisuoh explained that his outfit had been on to the ship since it left Lagos and switched off its AIS, and from further intelligence had gathered it was coming into the Pennington oil field to load illegal crude oil.
The Pennington oil field is in Bayelsa. In description, Pennington is between Forupa, Letugbene, Ezetu, and Bilabiri, which are Bayelsa communities.
The Security outfit had launched an operation from its base in Sokebolou and on arriving the area in the early hours of Thursday, launched drones with inferred capability to detect night vision, which picked up the body of the ship, and those who were carrying out the particular act.
The vessel, as at the time it was intercepted, carried a crew of 2 members along with 13 community workers.
The vessel is being held at Tantita Operational Base in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom of Delta State
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