The Nigerian Navy has described Tantita Security Service, a private security firm owned by ex-militant, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, as being high-handed and unprofessional in its conduct.
The comment from the navy comes on the heels of an investigation into the allegation of oil theft involving an oil tanker named MT Praisel. Tantita Security Service had on Saturday raised suspicions over the activities of the vessel.
The company noted that the vessel, which was intercepted by its personnel, should have been sailing to Lagos and not Bonny, adding that the intelligence it gathered and the documents, including the naval clearance tendered by the master of the vessel, affirmed that Lagos was its destination.
The Nigerian Navy, on Friday, said the vessel was duly approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to load 1,114,721 litres of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from July 26 to August 8.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Director of Information, Naval Headquarters, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said Tantita’s allegation of oil theft by the vessel in connivance with Nigerian Navy personnel was “totally wrong, unfounded and mischievous”.
“As of Saturday 5 August 2023, the results of the laboratory analysis of the product onboard MT Praisel by all agencies including NMDPRA indicate that the product displayed properties consistent with Nigerian industrial standard specification for HPFO.
“This result, therefore proves that the allegation and suspicion were totally wrong, unfounded, and perhaps mischievous.
“The intelligence TSSL claimed to have received about the vessel and its product is equally wrong. This singular incident brings to the fore the high-handedness and unprofessional conduct of TSSL with its attendant negative consequences for the supplier and buyer of the product, the vessel hired to convey it, and other parties involved in the legitimate business,” the navy spokesman said.
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