On Monday, Nigerian Navy officers destroyed an illegal oil bunkering vessel arrested aboard Niger Delta creeks with stolen Oil theft. A vessel with registration number L85 B9.50 was arrested with 600 to 650 cubic meters of illegally lifted crude oil in five compartments. Nigerian Navy personnel set the ill-fated vessel on fire on Warri River at around 3 o’clock on Monday afternoon following the confession of the vessel’s captain, Temple Manasseh, that it was carrying crude oil.

A member of Manasseh’s crew was arrested by Tanita Security Services, according to his confession.However, he claimed that some gunmen hijacked his vessel and forced it to load crude oil in the creeks.

Tompolo boys arrested me in Escravos, but I did not load the crude oil that was allegedly stolen. The loaded crude was forced into my vessel by some boys. I don’t know anything about the hijackers. The loading operation had been ongoing for about two and a half hours when Tompolo security operatives stormed the scene.”

However, the Marine Intelligence Consultant for Tantita Security Services, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, said that the arrest was a result of intelligence gathering, explaining that the security men “monitored the space via satellite,” despite the fact that Nigerian Navy officials refused to speak to journalists.

It was revealed that the Dutch vessel sold to a Nigerian had been used illegally to move Oil theft for years and that the vessel was scheduled to deliver the stolen crude to Tema in Ghana when it was arrested. “Tanita Security Services’ operation in conjunction with Operation Delta Safe, a government-private sector initiative, has yielded positive results leading to the arrest,” he said.