Pipeline contract: Oil bunkerers devise new plans to evade arrest

Pipeline contract: Oil bunkerers devise new plans to evade arrest

The security company of ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, Tantita Security Services, TSS, says Crude oil bunkerers in Niger Delta have invented a new ploy of felling down trees in the swampy terrains, which they used to cordon off the creeks to prevent operatives of the outfit from getting access to the hideouts where they keep their illegally refined products, boats and equipment.

However, operatives of Tantita Security Services, engaged by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, for pipeline surveillance, have busted the hoax.

THECONSCIENCEng gathered that in some places where oil thieves used the decoy, the operatives of TSS have been able to impound over 2,000 barrels of crude oil daily (over 48,000 barrels in two weeks). They have also seized several boats and equipment abandoned by the fleeing oil thieves.

Boat leader of Tantita Security Service, Patrick Alla, who spoke to reporters at Oporoza, Warri South-West Local Government Area, on the company’s findings, said: “The illegal oil bunkerers tactically ensure that we fail. Sometimes, they cut down trees across the creeks to conceal their products and boats.

“Therefore, we need to get a motor saw to remove the obstacles to access the abandoned canoes. We discovered massive illegal bunkering operations since we started. We have apprehended many boats loaded with crude oil, and operational speedboats and discovered massive underground storage.

“We found over 40 loaded Cotonou boats but we cannot pull all out because of the terrain. Our operation has been successful but we face the challenges of bringing to our base all the abandoned canoes.”