OIL THEFT: Soldiers, TANTITA Operatives Arrest Vaccum Truck With Stolen Crude In Delta

"The suspect and the truck were reportedly arrested on Monday after he allegedly stole crude oil from well three (3) in the Olomoro Community."

Personnel of the 181 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Oil-rich Delta State have, in a joint operation with operatives of TANTITA Security Services Nigeria Limited, arrested a Vacuum truck ladened with stolen crude oil at Well-head 3, in the Olomoro Community. 

Also arrested is the driver of the Vacuum truck, Matthew Ojomikre. The suspect and the truck were reportedly arrested on Monday after he allegedly stole crude oil from well three (3) in the Olomoro Community. The Wellhead (3) is under OML 30 and it is owned by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited. 

The reports states that the suspect is cooling his heels at the custody of the Nigerian Army 181 Barrack where he is detained. 

It was further learnt that the suspect went to the well-head with the Vacuum truck purportedly owned by one Engr. Daniel Omoyibo popularly known as DAMOTECH without the permission, approval and license from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC to load crude oil, an act described as illegal.

Sources privy to the theft revealed that it was at the point of the suspect leaving the crime scene that he was accosted by the soldiers who eventually informed operatives of TANTITA Security Services of his activities and was promptly arrested.

When interrogated, the suspect confessed that his company was contracted by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited to help evacuate sludge from Well 3, Olomoro but could not provide any formal approvals or documents to show that such activity was to be carried out as it used to be.

Investigations reveal that Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited used to send Crude and condensate trucking permits to officers of the Nigerian Army and Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd for proper monitoring from the loading point to that of discharge. 

At the time of filing this report, Officers of Tantita Security Services, in collaboration with Heritage team and the Nigeria Army, have collected samples from the vacuum truck for laboratory testing and analysis.

However, the confessional statement from the truck drivers shows that he illegally went to collect crude from Well 3, Olomoro, in the guise of helping to evacuate sludge from the wellheads. 

It was also gathered that the owners of the Vacuum truck who have been allegedly involved in unauthorized evacuation of crude within Isoko axis are trying to play games to influence the release of the driver and save him from prosecution as well as prevent his truck from being set ablaze or investigated.

At the moment, stakeholders are calling on the Department of State Security, DSS and Special Intelligence and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL to investigate the activities of the company which owned the Vacuum truck. 

They said before the driver of the Vacuum truck is supposed to go the well head, he should have possessed NUPRC licence of evacuation, notified the Military and TANTITA Security Services Nigeria Limited for proper supervision by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited. 

The stakeholders stressed that, "Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited ought to have copied the military and TANTITA but only the driver went to the well head, loaded the crude and left. It was on his way out, the military accosted him and called TANTITA."

According to the stakeholders, they asked him of his license and military escort, he said he had none."

Meanwhile, the Security Manager of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, Lt.Col. Goldman Azagba Rtd, said he is not aware of the movement of the vacuum truck driver to the well head and his illegal bunkering activities at the site with the vehicle.