By Bolanle Rasheed

LAGOS—The Nigerian Navy has alleged that some employees of the Tantita Security Service have been arrested while trying to escape with crude oil on the Lagos waterways.

Briefing journalists, yesterday, on the arrest, Commander, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, disclosed that two wooden boats and 11 1,000 litres black GP tanks filled with suspected crude oil were recovered from them.

Explaining how they were arrested, Oguntuga said: “In the early hours of August 29, 2023, a distress call was received from Itolu community, Lekki, that there were several gunshots on the waterway and that some gunmen intended to cart away their engines boats, which they use as a source of livelihood.

“We responded to the distress call by dispatching patrol team to the community. On arrival, the patrol teams met four men dressed in black polo T-shirts with ‘Tantita’ inscripted on the back. They also observed that they were trying to forcefully collect an outboard engine of one of the locals. The four men were arrested in the process. The patrol team noticed that the four men were part of another team in a big wooden boat and two other speed boats.

“These four men actually beckoned on the speed boat to come over to pick them up. But on realising that they were with naval personnel, they absconded, leaving behind the two wooden boats. When the patrol team went to the big wooden boats, they found 11 1,000 litres black GP tanks containing petroleum products suspected to be stolen crude oil.

Those arrested

“The first four arrested gave their identities as Asonja Goddey (28), Obajimi OluwaSeyifunmi (38), Awoowo Aribo (35) and Oluwadaisi Balogun (40). They all hail from Igbokoda in Ondo State. The owner of the boat they were trying to forcibly employ, Ishola Ojubuyi (42), was also taken into custody.

“After the arrest of the four suspects, somebody called the Navy Base, introducing himself as the Chief Security Officer of Tantita and I told him to come over to the base.

“He came, identifying himself as Mr. Owoyele Omotuyi to secure release of his men, whom he identified as members of Tantita Security Service. When I demanded his fdentity cardto know if he was from where he claimed, he produced his ID card and he was also arrested.

“The Nigerian Navy has initiated an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident particularly the firearms used in the community and the economic sabotage, as well as how the product came from Ondo State to Lagos State and the attempt to steal a boat engine from the locals.”

Oguntuga said the five suspects would be handed over to the appropriate agency for prosecution, assuring residents of Itolu community that “the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, remains resolute towards giving them confidence to go about their legitimate businesses, as we will continue to make sure that the maritime environment is safe for them to carry out their lawful duties.”

How it happened —Tantita CSO

However, speaking with journalists, one of the suspects, Owoyele Joseph, who claimed to be the Chief Security Officer of Tantita Security Service, said: “We embarked on a patrol on Monday morning at the sea level in Ondo State. I led the group with about two flying boats.

“One of the flying boats carried six Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, officers and two of our men were inside the flying boat while about eight of us were in the second flying boat. We got information that a particular wooden boat was loaded with illegal crude oil along the Awoye Ilaje area of Ondo State. We tried to trace them and get them arrested, but they escaped with their service boats.

“We traced them down to a place where they landed. The moment my boys got into the community, they met some young men and explained to them that we were the security officers of Tantita and that we were chasing after some criminals whose boats we have already arrested.

“But they misunderstood us and called us thieves. Moment later, some naval personnel came and arrested us.”