The Nigerian Navy has debunked an allegation that the vessel intercepted in the Koko area of Delta State on Wednesday by Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL) was carrying stolen stolen crude oil, insisting that the vessel was duly approved by 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.

Tantita Security outfit is a private security company owned by an ex-Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo.

The security outfit recently signed a contract with the Federal Government of Nigeria to protect oil pipelines.

According to operatives of the Tantita Security, the vessel, tagged MT Praisel, was flying a Togolese flag and was being escorted by a Navy boat led by a senior naval commander.

Speaking on the allegation, the Navy, in a statement Friday by its Director of Information, Commodore, AO Ayo-Vaughan, insisted that the vessel was authorised to load 1,114,721 litres of HPFO from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from 26 July – 8 August 2023,”

The statement partly read: “To put the record straight and avoid the misrepresentation of facts to unsuspecting members of the public as portrayed, MT PRAISEL was duly approved by 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 26 July – 8 August 2023.

“This has been substantiated by NMDPRA. In line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and to ensure strict compliance with the NMDPRA approval, NN personnel were deployed onboard to monitor the discharge of the product by MT PRAISEL at a facility at Bonny.”

According to the Navy, on August 2, 2023, TSSL claimed to act on intelligence and alleged that the vessel was laden with stolen crude oil.

The security outfit, according to the Navy, then approached an element of Operation DELTA SAFE to board the vessel in order to verify the allegedly stolen product.

The statement added: “Accordingly, the NN directed the vessel to Forward Operating Base ESCRAVOS anchorage for further investigation of the product onboard,” the Navy noted.

“The samples of the product onboard MT PRAISEL were collected on Thursday 3 August 2023 by 5 agencies including NNPCL, NMDPRA and also TSSL in line with laid procedures for laboratory test and verification of the claim.”