Crime
Exposed: Army, Navy, Police among oil thieves, own refining camps
One contractor is Tantita Security Services Limited, TSSL, owned by the leader of the moribund Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND) and high chief of Ijaw ethnic nationality, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
Misleading intelligence
Before now, the security report was that some militants and other misguided miscreants, harboured by villagers in the different riverine communities in the oil-rich region, were the monsters breaking into the nation’s pipelines and hemorrhaging the country.
The intelligence report acknowledged that they were major oil thieves bankrolling the operations of the minor oil thieves; it was unspecific in their nomenclature.
Based on the disingenuous details, the government has pursued a one-track strategy of a crackdown on suspected operators of illegal oil refining camps in the creeks of the Niger Delta, destruction of the said camps, equipment, and apprehension of some operators. However, the real damage continued because the major culprits remained unruffled.
Secreted reality
However, facts are emerging with the engagement of Tompolo by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL. Why has oil bunkering increased rather than decreased, in the last few months, which has made it impracticable for the nation to meet its Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, daily production quota?
Army, Navy, Police, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDSC, officers deployed to tackle oil bunkering in the Niger Delta sponsor their own illegal crude oil refining camps in the creeks. Only the Department of State Services, DSS, is not involved in the show of shame.
Sources informed that security officials involved in oil bunkering finance locals to carry out unlawful business in the creeks, provide security, and shield their camps from destruction by other security agents. Some top security officials in Abuja and Lagos, who are neck deep in the business, typically, use their strategic positions to intervene and cover the tracks for their men on the ground in the Niger Delta
The International Oil Companies, IOCs, some privileged NNPCL officials, and other high-profile Nigerians are part of it.
The comprehension that the strategy all the while was a wild goose chase was already causing disquiet in the security circle.
High-level complicity
Lately, TSSL and security operatives working with Tompolo uncovered a 4-km underwater theft pipeline connected to the sea from the Forcados Terminal with a loading port, and 58 tapping points in Delta and Bayelsa states through which oil thieves had been bleeding the country.
On October 6, they ambushed and apprehended eight members of a suspected crude oil syndicate while they were pumping crude oil from a Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, pipeline, in Delta State, into an improvised 87-meter-long ocean-going vessel, MT Deino.
At the time Tantita operatives swooped on the vessel, the team leader, Captain Temple Manaseh, from Bayelsa state, and seven other suspects had pumped 605 cubic meters of crude oil into the vessel with 12 compartments from an illegal connection they attached to a CNL crude pipeline, between Abiteye community and Escravos, Warri South-West Local Government Area.
Security agents had previously picked up the vessel, which bore an International Maritime Organization, IMO, number 7210526, in September, last year, for oil bunkering, but as emblematic, they released it.
Truth is that the high-profile stealing of Nigeria’s crude oil and sale in the international market, where the demand is still very high, by the security agencies, IOCs, NNPCL officials, oil bunkers, and locals, is a structured big business.
The illegal underwater 4-km pipeline, loading port, and 58 tapping points on the nation’s different pipelines discovered by TSSL have existed for almost nine years and security officials, stationed with gunboats in the creeks, cannot claim ignorance.
What explains the security agencies not discovering the illegal port, tapping points, and all that Tompolo has discovered in a few weeks for two decades or more?
A simple check showed that in between the places where oil bunkers siphon crude oil from the pipelines and abandoned oil wells, some of which the IOCs leave vulnerable, security operatives have their checkpoints at strategic locations near the pipelines, but collect inducements to ‘close their eyes’.
The revelation of NNS, SOROH Commander
Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, SOROH, Commodore Daniel Atakpa, who, recently toured some creeks in Bayelsa State, accused IOCs of purposely leaving their oil heads wide open so that oil thieves could access the crude oil.
His words: Seven months ago, we noticed that crude oil was flowing out from an oil head in Okaki. We notified the oil company that owns it, Shell. Their response is shocking. They said they have not noticed it and that they are prioritizing their operations. If you ask me, what kind of priority is that supposed to be? The Navy can only do its part, Let every other agency do theirs.”
He also said the IOCs calculatingly abandoned some old oil heads under the pretence that they were not economically viable and oil bunkers steal crude from the facilities.
Clark demands a probe of the military, NNPCL officials
National leader of South-South and elder statesman, Senator Edwin Clark, Tuesday, fumed at the development, calling on the Federal Government to investigate the role of the Nigerian military and officials of NNPCL in the massive crude oil theft in the country.
“I want to advise the Federal Government to institute a judicial inquiry to investigate this criminal act of oil theft and also, to once again, appeal that jobs should be provided for the teeming unemployed youths…
“The news that there is an illicit four-kilometer pipeline through which crude oil is being siphoned goes to confirm what I have always said over the years, and what the leaders of the Niger Delta have been shouting about. That oil theft is being perpetuated by some mafia-like groups, with the connivance of some people in the oil industry, using sophisticated engineering methods to carry out their nefarious acts.
“Even more disturbing is that these activities have been going on over the years under the watchful eyes of the military and security personnel, who are supposed to be protecting these oil pipelines with many gunboats to patrol the area are, unfortunately, alleged to be involved in these criminal acts,” he said.
Tompolo has a comprehensive list of bunkers
Saturday Vanguard learned that Tompolo has a comprehensive list of oil bunkers in the region and since his recent exposures, some persons have sent threat messages to him and TSSL operatives. However, some have reached out to him to simmer down.
The ex-militant leader, miffed by the involvement of security operatives in bunkering, had reportedly complained to the National Security Adviser, NSA, and Inspector General of Police, IGP, and is awaiting action.
Speaking in a television interview, recently, the former MEND leader, Tompolo, who confirmed that he actually complained to the NSA and IGP about the involvement of security personnel in oil bunkering, however, said, “Not all security officials are involved, there are some good ones and those are the people we are working with in recording the successes so far.”
“With what we are doing, we have illegal bunkering camps owned by some Navy, Army, Civil Defence, and Police, it is only the Department of State Services, DSS, that are not involved and we have the evidence.”
“I am using this medium to appeal to the security agencies to call their people, especially those deployed in this part of the country. Let us work together
“We are going to provide the intelligence; they are the ones that will implement. Many top security officials are not happy because I know the in and out of this country–Lagos, Calabar, Escravos, and Akwa-Ibom.
“If we are working together as a team, in another few weeks, you see that production will shoot up. In Nigeria, if you are saying the truth but not on the same side as the government, they will turn the case against you.
”We are ready, in a few weeks’ time, we will restore production. Many people are now running helter-skelter because they know that there is nothing concerning the riverine that I do not know,” he said.
A police corporal attached to the Ajaokuta Division of the Kogi State Police Command has reportedly shot his girlfriend dead before taking his own life with his service rifle.
The incident allegedly occurred around 9 p.m. on Friday, October 23, 2026, leaving both the officer and the woman dead.
According to a report by Veracity News, the officer allegedly shot the woman at close range before turning the weapon on himself.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, while the motive behind the alleged killings has yet to be established.
The bodies of the deceased were reportedly evacuated to a mortuary as investigations into the incident commenced.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Afusat, could not be reached for comment, according to the publication.
The incident is expected to be investigated to establish the circumstances leading to the deaths and determine the events that preceded the shooting.
As of the time of filing this report, no further details about the identities of the deceased or the outcome of the investigation had been provided in the original report.
Editor’s note: The incident and details in this report have not been independently verified. An official statement from the Kogi State Police Command would be needed to confirm the circumstances of the deaths.
A young woman identified as Messioma Nwaora, who was earlier reported missing, has reportedly been found dead in Uga, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Unverified reports circulating on social media allege that her former boyfriend, identified as Chima Emmanuel and said to be from Ebonyi State, killed her after she ended their relationship. The reports further claim that he strangled her with clothing, placed her body in a bag and transported it on a commercial motorcycle, popularly known as an okada.
The alleged confession and the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death have not been independently verified. Therefore, it cannot be conclusively established that the former boyfriend killed her.
As of the time of filing this report, the Anambra State Police Command had not issued an independently confirmed statement establishing the cause of death, confirming the identity of the deceased or stating whether a suspect had been arrested.
The reported death has prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Outstanding questions include where the body was recovered, how the woman died, whether Chima Emmanuel has been detained and whether investigators have obtained evidence linking him to the incident.
Further details are expected as reliable information becomes available.
A birthday party organised by popular Enugu socialite Nnaji Izuchukwu, popularly known as Stone, at Bull Hotel, Asata, Enugu, reportedly turned chaotic following a misunderstanding that allegedly prompted the hotel management to invite the police.
Stone, who was the celebrant, reportedly died from gunshot injuries sustained during the ensuing police operation.
Information available to Everydaynewsngr.net indicated that the misunderstanding at the birthday party degenerated into chaos, prompting the hotel management to call in operatives of the police Anti-Cultism Section.
In the confusion that followed, Stone was said to have attempted to escape through a window alongside another person before he sustained gunshot injuries.
However, the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
The Enugu State Police Command has since confirmed Stone’s death and ordered an investigation into the incident.
In a press release issued on Friday, October 23, 2026, the command said the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, had directed a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the death and determine whether the operation and use of firearms complied with established operational standards and applicable laws.
According to the police, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Section of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) stormed Bull Hotel during an intelligence-led operation targeting Nworie Chidera Kelvin, popularly known as Akidi, an alleged drug dealer and member of the Vikings Confraternity.
The police said Akidi was suspected of involvement in several cases relating to cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The operation reportedly led to the arrest of Akidi and nine other suspects, comprising males and females aged between 17 and 28.
The police also said quantities of dried weeds suspected to be cannabis, a weighing scale allegedly used for measuring illicit drugs, and ₦43,400 in cash were recovered during the operation.
Giving its account of how Stone died, the command said preliminary findings indicated that he and another suspect jumped through a window in an attempt to escape.
The statement added that an operative pursuing the two suspects was allegedly confronted by them as they attempted to disarm him.
According to the police, the officer’s firearm discharged during the ensuing struggle, leaving Stone with gunshot injuries, while the other suspect escaped.
Stone was rushed to a hospital, where he was later confirmed dead. His remains have been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
CP Giwa has directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department to establish the facts of the incident and determine whether the officers involved complied with operational standards and applicable laws.
The commissioner assured that any officer found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action.
He also urged Stone’s family, associates and members of the public to remain calm, stressing that professionalism, ethical conduct and strict adherence to operational standards, particularly those governing the use of firearms, must be upheld during police operations.
The police statement was signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on October 23, 2026.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Edo State Command, has launched a manhunt for a 28-year-old awaiting-trial inmate, Osita Thomas, who escaped while being taken to court for trial.
Thomas, an inmate of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Auchi, reportedly escaped last week during a court appearance over charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Aminu Suleman, disclosed the development in a statement dated October 21, 2026, and made available to journalists in Benin City on Thursday.
Suleman said the Controller of Corrections in Edo State had directed intensified efforts towards apprehending the fugitive, assuring residents that security measures across custodial facilities had been strengthened to prevent similar incidents.
The Command appealed to members of the public with useful information about Thomas’s whereabouts to report to the nearest police station or custodial centre.
It also released two telephone numbers, 08038075882 and 08039243704, through which information could be provided to security authorities.
Meanwhile, an official of the Correctional Service attributed the escape to inadequate manpower, explaining that the officer escorting Thomas to court could not abandon other inmates in his custody to pursue the fleeing suspect.
According to the official, pursuing Thomas would have exposed the remaining inmates to possible escape.
The official further raised concerns over worsening personnel shortages in the Service, alleging that more than 1,000 officers were expected to retire this year without corresponding plans for fresh recruitment.
He called on the Federal Government to urgently address the manpower deficit, warning that inadequate personnel could continue to undermine the effective management and security of custodial facilities across the country.
An alleged employment racket involving 21 job seekers and N8.29 million has landed an Enugu-based businesswoman, Stella Ezinne Egotanwa, in the net of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The 45-year-old businesswoman is being investigated for allegedly collecting money from unsuspecting applicants under the guise of securing employment for them at a psychiatric hospital in Enugu State.
The EFCC, in a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, disclosed that the suspect allegedly collected the money between December 28, 2025, and June 30, 2026, through bank accounts belonging to different Point of Sale (POS) operators.
According to the commission, trouble began for Egotanwa when 16 aggrieved job seekers petitioned the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), accusing her of collecting N6.193 million from them without delivering the promised jobs.
The petition subsequently led to her arrest by NSCDC operatives in Anambra State on July 30, 2026.
However, the case took another dimension when five additional victims approached the EFCC, alleging that the businesswoman had similarly defrauded them of N2,098,200 through promises of employment at the same hospital.
The fresh petitions brought the number of alleged victims to 21, with the total amount involved rising to N8,291,200.
One of the victims, who narrated his ordeal to investigators, claimed to have paid Egotanwa N1.05 million on December 28, 2025, believing that she had the connections to secure the promised employment.
“I made the payment in good faith because I believed that the employment opportunity she presented to me was genuine.
“However, after making the payment, the promised employment did not materialise. I subsequently experienced difficulty reaching her and there were periods she did not respond to my calls or messages,” the petitioner stated.
The anti-graft agency further disclosed that Egotanwa was already awaiting trial in a separate case involving a similar alleged employment scam.
It added that the suspect had admitted to the alleged offence during interrogation and would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The EFCC maintained that investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged fraudulent recruitment scheme.
Clarify the EFCC’s role in her arrest
Use consistent language for alleged victims
Tighten the opening for stronger impact
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