By David Kabiyesi
Nigerian Navy NNS Beecroft’s patrol team arrested four TANTITA agents over oil theft on the waterways in Itolu community, Lekki, in Lagos State.
NNS Beecroft Commander, Commodore Kolawale Oguntuga revealed that his men were alerted after massive gunshots were heard by youths in the area
“Upon arrival at the scene, the naval team met four individuals dressed in black polo shirts with TANTITA inscribed on the back, trying to recover a dismantled outboard engine from a local.
“The team recovered the engine and arrested four Tantita employees.
“It was after their arrest that the patrol team realised that the four individuals were part of a movement of a large wooden boat with two fibre boats.
“The four individuals beckoned on the two fibre boats to approach them, but when they noticed NN patrol teams, the boats altered courses, fled and abandoned the large wooden boat laden with 11 x 1000L Geepee tanks with product suspected to be stolen crude oil.
“The suspects are identified as Asonja Goddey, ‘m’, 28, Obajimi Oluwaseyifunmi, ‘m’, 38, Awoowo Aribo, ‘m’, 35, and Oluwadaisi Balogun, ’m’, 40, all from Igbokoda in Ondo State.”
“The owner of the boat they were trying to forcibly employ, Ishola Ojubuyi , ‘m’, 42, was also taken into custody.
“The Navy has initiated an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly the possession of firearms used in the community, economic sabotage, how the product came from Ondo State to Lagos State as well as attempting to steal a boat engine from the locals.
“One Owoyele Omotuyi, who was identified as a Tantita staff member, came to secure the release of the four arrested suspects, claiming they are employees of Tantita Security Service Nigeria Limited,”the commandant added:
