Tantita arrests four in Delta State over Alleged Oil theft
Tantita Arrests Four in Delta State Over Alleged Oil Theft
By Tunde Ojudun
In a major crackdown on oil theft in the Niger Delta, four individuals have been arrested in Delta State for allegedly engaging in the illegal transportation of crude oil. The suspects were apprehended aboard the vessel MT Thor, which was intercepted by Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSNL), a private firm contracted for pipeline surveillance.
The arrest was formally announced during a handover ceremony at Koko Port, where TSSNL transferred custody of the suspects to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Product Theft.
Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director of Operations at TSSNL, stated that the vessel was found carrying an unspecified quantity of suspected stolen petroleum products. The interception occurred on 15 December 2025 along the Koko–Excravos axis.
According to a situation report from the Special Prosecution Team (SPT), the vessel was allegedly under escort by officers from the Police Marine Unit, who claimed to be acting on instructions from the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja.
Preliminary investigations have linked MT Thor to a jetty operated by Ebenco Global Services Limited. Investigators have obtained documents and court orders from the jetty’s owner, Mr. Ebenezer, which are currently under review.
On 16 December, a joint inspection team led by the SPT convened at TSSNL’s Warri headquarters before proceeding to Koko. Although the team attempted to collect samples from MT Thor, the vessel had not yet arrived at the jetty. Instead, samples were taken from a storage barge at the Ebenco facility. MT Thor eventually berthed later that evening, with further inspections scheduled for the following day.
Omar Sini, Head of the SPT, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to dismantling oil theft syndicates, assuring that all findings would be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
