Oil Thieves Attack Tompolo’s Men In Ondo, As Tantita, NSCDC Destroy Bunkering Site

A cartel of crude oil thieves, have reportedly attacked personnel of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL) in Ondo State barely few days after High Chief Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo called on Nigerians to guard against Oil thieves.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (https://bigpennge.com) reports that in an ensuing confrontation on Sunday night which snowballed into Monday, the operatives of the private security firm, in collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were said to have overpowered the hoodlums who fled with their boats.

It was gathered that there was hot exchange of gunfire between the NSCDC operatives who mobilized to the scene and the cartel at an illegal crude oil camp in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo.

The combined team of TSSNL and NSCDC, after overpowering the criminal suspects in their camp along Alowe sea shore in Ilaje Local Government Area, destroyed 700 kegs containing 21,000 litres of crude oil stored in a large reservoir.

The Executive Director, Operations and Technical Services of TSSNL, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to journalists on Monday.

He said the joint security team, which uncovered the economic sabotage at about 8:36a.m on Sunday around the western corridor after a tip-off, was led by the TSSNL commandant in Ondo State, Chief Idowu Asonja.

According to him,the voluminous crude oil, which was adulterated, stored in a large, locally-built reservoir, and being sold to local buyers by the saboteurs, was suspected to be siphoned from the Trans-Escravos pipeline.

He said that the suspects operating the illegal crude oil storage camp, seeing the game was over, fled the scene in their speed boats during the gun battle with NSCDC operatives.

“It’s indeed a successful, but stressful trip. Our agents in Awoye area hinted to us about the perpetuation of the evil act carried out in that area.

“It was a well fortified camp which the perpetrators believed was impenetrable for security agents, but we shocked them,” Captain Enisuoh quoted the leader of the team, Chief Asonja, as saying.

Captain Enisuoh further disclosed that all the 700 kegs containing 21,000 litres of adulterated crude oil, two wooden boats laden with crude oil as well as the entire illegal camp were set ablaze to serve as a deterrent to others.

Meanwhile, Captain Enisuoh quoted Chief Asonja as admonishing community dwellers in the Niger Delta, especially the Ilaje area, to desist from crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and its variants, urging them to support the war against economic sabotage being led by TSSNL so that the country can bounce back economically and nation will be great again.