Emma Amaize & Akpokona Omafuaire
15 December 2012, Sweetcrude, Warri – The Oil Facility Surveillance Limited, OFSL, Warri, Delta state, facilitated by ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has arrested a Lagos-based 10-man syndicate of oil thieves and seized a vessel, MT Lady Jay, used for oil bunkering.
General Manager, OFSL, Mr. Keston Pondi, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Oporoza, the operational headquarters of the security outfit, contracted by the Federal Government to protect oil pipelines in Delta state, said the oil bunkerers were arrested on Wednesday at Escravos, Warri South West Area of Delta State.
Also impounded, according to him, were three boats, carrying unspecified volume of illegally refined products.
The oil syndicate, Saturday Vanguard gathered is long in the illegal business and has spread across the Niger Delta creeks were illegal bunkering thrives.
He said operatives of OFSL actually arrested a vessel and four boats, but lost one local boat when they were ambushed by oil thieves, who opened fire at them.
His words, “On December 11, 2012, a vessel named MT Lady Jay with three local boats were arrested by our field operatives at Escravos bar. but unfortunately, we lost one of the local boats to the bunkerers when they opened fire on our personnel.”
