Tinubu orders destruction of 150,000 tons of stolen crude oil on Delta high sea

The Federal Government has ordered security agencies in Delta State to destroy a vessel caught with 150,000 tonnes of stolen crude oil. The vessel would be destroyed today with explosives, reports The Guardian.

The ship named, Tura II, with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes, was intercepted in the wee hours of Saturday by Tompolo’s pipeline surveillance firm, Tantita Security Nigeria Ltd, stealing crude oil from a wellhead.

According to Tantita’s Executive Director, Technical and Operations, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, the ship had been caught 10 years ago in same act, but managed to get away, changing its name from Ali Riza Bey to Tura II.

Enisuoh said they had been monitoring activities of the vessel for a while, noting it was intercepted when it came in the early hours to steal crude. He said the vessel, which is over 50 years old, had already loaded about 150,000 tonnes of crude oil when it was impounded.

Enisuoh disclosed that the ship usually takes stolen crude to Ghana, Cameroun and Togo.

The Commander of Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferreira, disclosed that the vessel had 12 crewmembers, who, he said, were being investigated.

Some Nigerians are questioning the rationale behind destruction of such massive crude oil worth millions of dollars instead of confiscating and selling it off.

This is not the first time security agents will capture stolen crude oil and destroy making the country to loose all round.