Men of Tantita Security Services Limited and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have set ablaze, a vessel ladened with 150,000 metric tons of stolen crude be oil in Delta State.
The vessel, MT TURA II(IMO Number:6620462) with Registration Number, RC 813311 is reportedly owned by Holab Maritime Services Limited.
It was learnt that the vessel was conveying crude oil from Nigeria to Cameron when it was intercepted with 11 Nigerians and one Ghanaian onboard on Saturday, July 7.
Speaking with journalists, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director, Technical and Operatio nsin disclosed that government made a swift decision to destroy the vessel.
Accordng to Capt. Enisuoh, “the whole idea of destroying the vessel is to send a strong message to all would-be investors that this is what they’re to face if they tow this type of business.”
Capt. Enisuoh said that illegal bunkerers and their sponsors should be ready to lose their assets as the government and security forces will do all it takes to bring them to book.
Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Airforce, Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited ( NNPCL)as well as officials of the Delta State Government were on ground during the destruction of the vessel.
There was both aerial bombardment by the Air force and water level bombardment by the Navy and Army.
