By Hauwa Ali
The Nigerian military has set ablaze a vessel named MT Deima caught loading illegal crude oil in the Niger Delta, with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number 7210525.
The vessel while loading illegal crude oil, was on Monday set ablaze by men of the Nigerian military along the Warri River in Delta state.
The vessel was arrested by Tantita Security Services Limited, company owned by Ekpemopolo, popularity known as Tompolo, leader of the defunct Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).
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There were eight persons on board the vessel, directly stealing crude oil from the Escravos axis in Warri South West LGA, Delta state.
Tantita Security Services Limited was recently awarded pipeline surveillance contract by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to assist in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the country.
One of the security personnels who took part in the operation told journalists that, they had agreed based on a tip off, adding that they were offered a bribe of N25m to let the ship go but they turned down the offer.
On the capacity of the ship, he explained that the ship is 1,500 metric tons and had on board eight all Nigerian crew members.
While noting that the captain confessed that they came in from Lagos and that if they were not arrested, the ship would have sailed back to Lagos.
