BY BETTY IDIALU
Personnel from the 181 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, stationed in Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, have intercepted a vacum truck suspected to be conveying stolen crude oil from Wellhead 3 in the Olomoro community.
The operation, carried out in collaboration with operatives of TANTITA Security Services Nigeria Limited, led to the arrest of the truck’s driver, identified as Matthew Ojomikre.
The interception occurred on Monday at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30, a site managed by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited.
According to insider accounts, the driver gained unauthorised access to the wellhead and was reportedly in the process of siphoning crude oil when he was confronted.
The vehicle, believed to be owned by one Engr. Daniel Omoyibo, popularly known as ‘Damotech,’ had no authorisation from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Sources said military personnel accosted the suspect as he attempted to leave the facility.
TANTITA operatives were quickly alerted and the driver was taken into custody.
During initial questioning, Ojomikre reportedly claimed his company had been contracted by Heritage Energy to remove sludge from the wellhead.
However, he was unable to produce any official authorisation or evacuation permit to support this claim.
Industry stakeholders familiar with the procedures stated that any operation involving crude or condensate evacuation from Heritage Energy’s wells requires official documentation, including a valid NUPRC permit.
Such activities are typically coordinated with the Nigerian Army and TANTITA to ensure proper monitoring from the loading site to the discharge point.
At the time of reporting, security personnel from TANTITA, working alongside officials from Heritage Energy and the Nigerian Army, had taken samples of the truck’s contents for laboratory analysis to determine the nature and origin of the substance being transported.
The incident has sparked concerns over alleged attempts by certain interests to prevent the truck’s seizure and secure the release of the detained driver.
Stakeholders have voiced alarm over what they describe as a growing trend of unauthorised crude evacuation being carried out under the guise of legitimate operations.
Some have called on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and other relevant security and intelligence agencies to open a full-scale investigation into the activities of the company linked to the intercepted truck.
A concerned stakeholder remarked, “The driver did not have the mandatory NUPRC evacuation licence and made no prior notification to either the Army or TANTITA.
He proceeded alone, loaded crude oil, and was only caught while attempting to leave the site.”
Further complicating matters, the driver is said to have confessed during interrogation that he lacked both a valid permit and a military escort, requirements which, if missing, automatically render such operations illegal.
In a brief response over the incident, Lt. Col. Goldman Azagba (Rtd.), the Security Manager for Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, stated that he was not aware of the truck’s movement or any licit bunkering activity connected to it.
