...As Niger Delta Group Accuses Tompolo, Some NNPCL Officials of Orchestrating Crude Theft

Ebimene Tokowei, representing the Niger Delta People's Mandate, has raised serious allegations against Tompolo regarding his involvement in oil theft. Recent reports indicate that a 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), with IMO Number 9304667, owned and managed by Nigeria's Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., with documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Abuja reveal that the company is currently inactive. Further investigations pointed to the company's address at 111 Jakpa Road, Effurun, Warri, Delta State. The lack of contact information raises suspicions about the financial activities tied to the vessel and its potential illegal operations alongside NNPCL officials.

The vessel was intercepted by the United States Coast Guard and the US Navy. This interception underscores a troubling collaboration between workers at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and state actors, leading to the widespread theft of Nigeria's crude oil and the deepening poverty of its citizens.

Before former President Buhari took office, Nigeria was producing approximately 2 million barrels per day (mpd). However, under former NNPCL boss Mele Kyari, the country’s production plummeted to between 1.2 and 1.3 mpd, and the struggle to recover has continued. Critics argue that Kyari established internal structures within the NNPCL to facilitate ongoing looting of national resources, and the current administration has yet to address these critical issues to restore production levels.

According to reports, Tompolo’s Tantita Security Firm and Maton Engineering Company are allegedly deeply involved in oil theft. The accusations claim they divert proceeds from stolen crude while leaving many Nigerians impoverished. Further serious allegations say Tompolo runs a private prison and has committed human rights abuses against Niger Delta residents he accused of oil theft, even as he and associates are reportedly implicated in large-scale oil theft.

The vessel intercepted reportedly carried about 1.1 mpd of stolen crude oil, leading to action by the US government. This operation was announced by then-President Donald Trump, highlighting the illegal oil theft issue. In addition to allegations of crude theft, the vessel is under investigation for purportedly transporting hard drugs and being part of a network tied to suspected Iranian and other Islamist-backed money-laundering operations.

The interception of the Nigerian-owned supertanker, named Skipper, by the United States Coast Guard and Navy highlights serious allegations of crude oil theft, piracy, and transnational crimes. Despite being managed by Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., the ship is incorrectly registered under Triton Navigation Corp., based in the Marshall Islands, and was reportedly flying the Guyanese flag at the time of its arrest. The Guyana Maritime Administration Department has since clarified that Skipper is not listed in their registry, confirming unauthorized use of their flag.

Experts reacted to the seizure. Engr. Akin Olaniyan, president of the Centre for Marine Surveyors, Nigeria, expressed concern that if the vessel did indeed leave Nigeria, it reflected significant weaknesses in Nigeria’s Port State Control system. He emphasized that any issues surrounding the vessel's departure do not reflect on Nigeria as a country but rather on enforcement practices.

A Port Harcourt-based energy analyst remarked on the persistent issues of oil theft despite the presence of regulatory agencies, expressing disappointment that illegal activities continue unabated. This year, reports revealed a staggering loss of 13.5 million barrels of crude oil, valued at $3.3 billion, due to theft and pipeline sabotage between 2023 and 2024, as highlighted by Dr. Ogbonnanya Orji, executive secretary of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Orji explained that the lost revenue could have significantly benefited public health budgets or provided energy access to numerous households. In the fiscal years 2021 and 2022, Nigeria earned around $23 billion each year from the oil sector, although it is claimed that N1.5 trillion is owed to the Federation by various companies, which could have funded essential services and infrastructure.

Over the past decade, NEITI has transformed itself into a governance reform body, conducting regular audits of the oil, gas, and mineral sectors to track production and revenue, helping the government combat corruption and illicit financial flows. Initiatives like the Beneficial Ownership Register aim to uncover the real owners