• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

Tantita Challenges Nigerian Navy Over Arrest , Detention  Of Personnel

by Christiana Nwaogu
2 years ago
in Cover Stories, News
Tanita
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

The management of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a federal government-contracted oil pipeline surveillance firm, has said the Nigerian Navy arrested four of its personnel for chasing suspected oil thieves on the high seas towards its base, and has demanded their release.

Advertisement

The security outfit contracted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to protect pipelines from vandals disclosed this in a six-page statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.

The management which  further accused the Nigerian Navy of shielding the oil thieves condemned the Navy’s oil theft claim as ‘smear campaign and a possible cover- up.

While clearing the air over the incident which occurred at the Lekki area of Lagos State on August 29, the company said; “Nigerians can see why we are forced to say that the Nigerian Navy’s press release was nothing but a smear campaign against Tantita and possibly a cover up.”

The explanation is backed up with a video evidence of the incident.

RELATED

Kwara Man Takes ‘Colo’, Jumps Into Well After Returning From Eid Prayer, Dies

Kwara Man Takes ‘Colo’, Jumps Into Well After Returning From Eid Prayer, Dies

2 minutes ago
NUJ Takes AEDC’s ‘Outrageous’ Billing System To Gov Yahaya Bello, Assembly

NUJ Condemns Death Threat Against Adamawa Council Chairman

19 minutes ago

The Navy had in an earlier statement announced that  its personnel stationed at Forward Operation Base (FOB) foiled the attempted oil theft on the waterways near Itolu community in Lekki, Lagos State, early last Tuesday.

However, Tantita  has argued that its men were in pursuit of a motorised wooden boat that was “illegally” loading crude oil from an offshore oil well jackets.

The company said; “ In fact,  we are talking about the same Well Jacket in OML 110 operated by Cavendish Petroleum Nigeria Limited, where the MT TURA II was caught stealing crude oil a few months ago.”

It expressed shock that rather than get back up, its personnel who were on the trail of the suspected oil thieves were instead arrested and detained for carrying out their lawful duty.

Drawing links to a prior operation involving both parties, the security outfit also raised questions about the Navy’s statement, including timelines, jurisdiction and neutrality of the military branch.

The company said; “The continued detention by the Nigerian Navy of these five brave, selfless Nigerians who risked their lives on the high seas to protect our commonwealth is a disservice to our nation.”

According to the company, an advance team was immediately  dispatched to find the wooden boat while a back-up team of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps was assembled to follow through on the lead.

It further said; “Upon noticing the approaching Tantita team, the crew of the motorised wooden boat abandoned it for their speed boat.

“One team of Tantita and NSCDC personnel boarded the wooden boat to secure the evidence while another team gave a hot pursuit.

“There is video evidence of the Tantita team together with NSCDC personnel. There is also evidence of the Tantita and GSA team giving chase to the crew of the boat.”

“On 31st of August 2023 the world woke up to a news story credited to the commander, NNS BEECROFT of the Nigeria Navy, Commodore Kolawole Olumide Oguntuga, that the Nigerian Navy arrested four Tantita personnel for alleged crude oil theft. It would have been comedy, if it was not also tragedy.

“The Navy is a constitutional institution mandated to keep Nigeria’s seaward orders safe from invasion, criminality and free for economic activities. Tantita

respects the institution and its constitutional mandate. And it was out of that respect that a couple of weeks ago when there was a face-off between the service and Tantita over the MT Praisel, our organisation preferred to leave the Nigerian Navy to have the last word on the issue.

“It was our belief at the time that the matter was a misunderstanding which could have been better handled for the good of the nation and the common objective of Tantita and the Navy – the prevention of economic sabotage by oil thieves plying their nefarious trade on our nation’s waterways.

“However the present incident, coming barely three weeks after, does not seem to support that notion. What seems to be playing is a poorly written tragicomedy.

“The Nigerian Navy claims to have been responding to distress calls from youths in Itolou community in the Lekki axis of Lagos, and “reviewing the information, Naval patrol teams immediately launched a response operation. Upon arrival at the scene, the Naval team met 4 individuals dressed in black polo shirts with TANTITA inscribed on the back, trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine from a local. The team recovered the engine and apprehended the 4 Tantita employees.

“So it would be seen that at the time of arrest, the only crime that the Tantita

operatives were alleged to have committed was trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine. Thus, recovering outboard engines is now a crime.”


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel

START EARNING US DOLLARS as a Nigerian ($35,000) monthly. Companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), business owners are in panic mode. Only the smart will make it. Click here


SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Vandalising Railway Tracks

Next Post

Obaseki/Shaibu Rift: Shaibu’s Office May Move Outside Govt House

Christiana Nwaogu

Christiana Nwaogu

You May Like

Kwara Man Takes ‘Colo’, Jumps Into Well After Returning From Eid Prayer, Dies
News

Kwara Man Takes ‘Colo’, Jumps Into Well After Returning From Eid Prayer, Dies

2025/06/07
NUJ Takes AEDC’s ‘Outrageous’ Billing System To Gov Yahaya Bello, Assembly
News

NUJ Condemns Death Threat Against Adamawa Council Chairman

2025/06/07
Tinubu Mourns Boxing Legend Nwankpa
News

Tinubu Mourns Boxing Legend Nwankpa

2025/06/07
NAF Denies Kaduna Airstrike, Urges Media to Verify Reports
News

PICTORIAL: NAF Airstrikes Destroy Terrorists’ Hideouts, Foil Eid Attack In Borno

2025/06/07
Ireland Eases Visa Rules For International Workers
News

Ireland Deports 35 Nigerians Over Immigration Rule Violations

2025/06/07
Bitget Hosts Blockchain Education Day To Foster Web3 Awareness Growth
Business

Bitget Hosts Blockchain Education Day To Foster Web3 Awareness Growth

2025/06/07
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Kwara Man Takes ‘Colo’, Jumps Into Well After Returning From Eid Prayer, Dies

Osimhen Accepts Al Hilal Offer, Agrees Personal Terms With Saudi Club

NUJ Condemns Death Threat Against Adamawa Council Chairman

Ronaldo Turns Down Offers To Play At Club World Cup

Tinubu Mourns Boxing Legend Nwankpa

PICTORIAL: NAF Airstrikes Destroy Terrorists’ Hideouts, Foil Eid Attack In Borno

Ireland Deports 35 Nigerians Over Immigration Rule Violations

Bitget Hosts Blockchain Education Day To Foster Web3 Awareness Growth

Low Key Sallah In Niger As Bago, Etsu Nupe Urge Peace

Plateau Govt Engages 20,000 Youths In Agro-Industrial Chains

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.