Court orders interim forfeiture of seized oil bunkering ship to FG

A private security outfit, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), has won another battle in the war against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region.

Tantita, operated by Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, has secured the forfeiture of two illegal bunkering vessels to the Federal Government in less than a week.

Two Federal High Courts, sitting in Abuja, ordered the forfeiture of MT Kali and MT Harbor Spirit, to the Federal Government.

The courts also ordered the sale of the stolen crude oil contained in the impounded ocean-going equipment by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

It directed that the proceeds from the exercise be deposited by NNPCL in an interest yielding account to be determined by the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court.

The vessels were arrested by the operatives of TSSNL, in conjunction with the special task force set up by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

The MT Kali was arrested while siphoning crude oil from Pennington oil field of the Anglo-Dutch energy giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Bayelsa State, on January 11, 2024. Twenty crew members, including community accomplices, were arrested in the operation.

Amid investigations into the arrest of MT Kali, operatives of Tantita apprehended MT Harbor Spirit on February 4.

The Moldovian vessel was caught while stealing crude oil from Sengana oil field in the coastal axis of Bayelsa State.

Delivering an interim order of forfeiture in the case filed by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday, Justice J.K. Omotosho ordered that MT Harbor Spirit and its content be forfeited to the Federal Government pending when any party might show cause why the order should not be made final within six months.

According to the certified true copy of the order obtained by The Guardian, the court directed that affidavit of compliance with its order be filled before it within 72 hours after the sale of the confiscated petroleum products contained in the ship.

A five-count charge was slammed against the vessel and its crew in the case number FHC/ABJ/CR/60/2024. The charges were deposed to by Mr. Idris Abdullahi Mohammed, a Chief Superintendent of Police, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering (IGP-STFPI) headed by Mr. Lot Lantoh Garba, an Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Another Federal High Court in Abuja, in an earlier judgment, ordered the forfeiture of MT Kali and its content to the Federal Government.

The police in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/18/2024 B/W: INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE V. MT KALI & 22 ORS had arraigned the vessel and its 22 crew members before Justice J.O. Abdulmalik.

Justice Abdulmalik also granted the motion for the interim forfeiture of MT Kali and her content to the Federal Government.