The private security firm alleged that the navy arrested four of its personnel chasing the suspects on the high seas towards a naval base.
The management of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a Nigerian government-contracted oil pipeline surveillance firm, under ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemopolo (aka Tompolo) has claimed the Nigerian Navy is stopping its personnel from arresting some suspected oil thieves.
The private security firm alleged that the navy arrested four of its personnel chasing the suspects on the high seas towards a naval base.
This was contained in a statement published by Tantita management and made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State, on Saturday, following the alleged detention of four of the firm's surveillance staff by the Navy earlier in the week.
On August 31, the Nigerian Navy issued a news release attributed to the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Kolawole Olumide Oguntuga, stating that the Navy apprehended four Tantita workers for alleged crude oil theft.
While describing the Nigerian Navy's announcement as a "tragicomedy of errors," Tantita management argued that it was nothing more than a smear campaign.
The statement reads, “The Navy has been sharing pictures in social media of the Tantita staff in their custody in various shades of undress but kept silent about the names of the boat crew whom they were chasing. In short, where is the crew that the Tantita personnel chased into Ibeju Lekki?” Tantita queried.
Tantita maintained that the Nigerian Navy's arrest and parade of its staff as common criminals should be condemned by all right-thinking members of society, “at a time when our nation is in dire straits due to the unprecedented loss of revenue from a mono-cultural export-based economy."
The statement continued, “These family men put their lives at risk for the good of the nation and are now being made to suffer ridicule for doing the right thing. It serves to demoralise good men everywhere who have sought and are seeking to do something to better our nation.
“As soon as these men were arrested, the management of Tantita reached out to the Nigerian Navy seeking clarification of the situation. For four days, the Navy said they were investigating and that the men would be released.”
Tantita claimed to have already got the outcome of the navy’s investigation on the incident saying “there are even more damning revelations, which out of courtesy to the Navy hierarchy and the needs of national security we will not divulge on the pages of a newspaper”.
The firm however stated that “the continued detention by the Nigerian Navy of these five brave, selfless Nigerians who risked their lives on the high seas to protect our commonwealth is a disservice to our nation.”