Group petitions NSA, demands investigations into recent vessels’ seizures

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

A Niger Delta group, the Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND) has called on the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu to conduct an independent investigation into oil vessels’ seizures along the waterways of the region.

They maintained that the investigations must include the activities of a private security outfit, Tantita Securities culminating in the recent seizure of crude oil vessels by the personnel of the private security company.

The petition, which is dated February 13, 2024, and signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Movement for MSDND, alleged that the seizures and their associated activities along the waterways of the Niger Delta are meant to mislead the Nigerian public, including frivolous claims of complicity of security agencies in crude oil theft which is capable of causing chaos and breaching the national and economic security of the country.

The MSDND, in their petition, claimed that Nigerians and the world were allegedly deceived by media propaganda and made believe that the private security company Tantita Security Services Limited had in the past few weeks seized two vessels allegedly involved in crude oil theft off Bayelsa waters.

They claimed that the vessels were allegedly lured in, and entrapped by officials of Tantita Security Service Limited to score political and media points in their bid to win over the Bayelsa Central Corridor of the proposed multi-million-dollar crude oil pipeline surveillance contract.

The MSDND also claimed that to whittle down the powers and noticeable pressure from the Nigeria Navy against alleged questionable activities of some personnel in the war against illegal bunkering and crude oil theft, the recent petition against the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla by Pelumi Olajengbesi, Mohammed Suleiman, Aisha Waliki, Deji Adeyanju and Ogunwoye Samson was allegedly sponsored and releases to the media.

MSDND, argued that the seizure of the said vessels and the false allegations made against the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla were conveniently designed to hoodwink the Federal Government for some persons to annex the multi-million dollar crude oil pipeline surveillance contract while throwing the Nigeria Navy off balance whose constitutional responsibility is to protect the territorial waters of the country.

The group further claimed in their petition that “upon the conclusion of our clandestine and detailed investigations conducted by major stakeholders from the region, our findings showed a clear attempt to usurp the constitutional powers of the Nigeria Navy and use individuals to cast aspersions on the hard-earned integrity of the Nigeria Security networks including the Nigerian Navy.

The MSDND also stated that the first accused vessel, MT Kali, which was reportedly apprehended, was allegedly lured to the spot and entrapped by the officials of the private Security Company.

The petition claimed that “the arrested Captain of the Vessel was allegedly called on the satellite phone and handed navigational coordinates close to the territory for anchoring where it was arrested. The vessel and its captain were lured to an isolated location with a promise to load crude oil, but rather they were entrapped and paraded before the world as crude oil thieves.”

“Is it not strange that Tantita officials initially claimed that the vessel was arrested at Sokebolou oil field in Bayelsa State? But after our group faulted their report in the media and knowing that they had been caught in a blatant lie, they changed the location of MT Kali’s arrest to Pelleghton in Bayelsa claiming that it was at the offshore location of the Anglo-Dutch energy giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Bayelsa State.”

“Our investigations, which can be easily verified, revealed that the Nigerian Navy has over three large gunboats (Natsha II, Vakpor II, and Vakpor III) all stationed around Pelleghton securing the entire area against crude oil theft and illegal movement of vessels, and we can confirm that Shell (SPDC) does not have an operational station in Pelleghton; thus, they lied again to the public.

“How can you claim to have arrested a vessel that is engaged in large-scale crude oil theft and not know the actual location where the vessel was arrested? This is because it was all set up and made up for good media propaganda to deceive the federal government into thinking that they are working extensively, and to eventually hand them the Bayelsa Central Corridor of the proposed multi-million-dollar crude oil pipeline surveillance contract.

“If their claims are true, then why was the seized vessel removed from the loading station and taken to Oporoza in Delta state to anchor and conduct the media propaganda? Is Tompolo or Tantita the EFCC, the Police, the DSS, or the investigating agency? Would it not make sense if the said vessel was videoed at the loading station or kept there until daybreak for the world to see rather than taking the vessel to its territory before calling the media?

“We ask that the security agencies including the Nigeria Navy launch major operations into Jones Creeks in Delta state where some illegal bunkering and loading vessels with crude oil. We became privy to this information when some highly placed community sources stated that the content in the seized vessels was Remanent on Board (ROB) and pre-uploaded with stolen crude. Also, different tactics were utilised to invite and deceive top security chiefs and others rather than the loading station where the said vessel was arrested.

“They believe they have successfully fooled Nigerians which is why they used similar tactics to entrap the second vessel, a Moldovan sea cargo vessel known as MT Harbor Spirit with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number: 8226272. It was purportedly caught while loading crude oil from the Sangana oil field in Brass on the eastern coast of Bayelsa state close to Rivers state. These falsehoods are meant for TV cameras as there are multiple security gunboats covering hundreds of nautical miles surrounding this area.”

“Why would they move the seized vessel from the eastern part of Bayelsa state and travel close to one hundred nautical miles without being stopped by the numerous security operatives along the coast until they got to Oporoza, Delta state before calling the TV cameras? Also, any maritime expert who looks at the floating vessel will see that the vessel did not contain the quantity of stolen products as claimed. These activities are all entrapment and set-up for media propaganda, and it must stop.”

On the recent allegations of Corruption and oil bunkering levelled against Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff, the MSDND called on the security agencies and the Nigerian Navy to make urgent arrests and investigate the false and sponsored claims made by these activists and lawyers, Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi, Esq, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, Comrade Mohammed Suleiman SK, Barrister Aisha Waliki, Esq and Comrade Ogunwoye Samson.

MSDND however backed the position of the Nigerian Navy, describing the claims against the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla as a “sponsored lie. Nigerians should ask if Tantita Security Services Limited has replaced the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies along its territorial waters. Why did they take the seized vessels away from the location of arrest to their backyard before calling the media?”

The group warned members of the National Assembly especially the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Upstream, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa to desist from their ill-fated plan to initiate legal frameworks to break the monopoly of the Nigeria Navy (NN) in the policing of the nation’s blue water and deep sea, where the economic assets of the country in the oil and gas sectors are located.