The management of Tantita Security Services Limited has described as bizarre and mischievous an accusation by the Nigerian Navy that the company is involved in illegal activities along the coastal areas of Ondo State.
The Nigerian Navy levelled the accusation against Tantita in a statement it issued on Thursday.
It said it arrested a 77 meter long motor tanker for crude oil theft with her 17 crew members with an allegation that Tantita may have been involved in the incident.
The Navy claimed in its statement that Tantita Security Services “is involved in these illegalities because Awoye riverine area which is close to the place of arrest is covered by TSS”.
The Navy’s statement followed an earlier alarm raised by the company about the arrest of the vessel and a claim supported with video evidence that the Service was resisting access to the vessel.
It was further observed that the Naval men rejected demands by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited for a joint inspection of the vessel by the agencies involved for no genuine reason.
The operatives had raised the concern that the vessel may vanish into thin air before morning as Naval operatives on board the vessel shot all through the night to prevent the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps operatives and the men of TSL from accessing the vessel.
But the company in a statement on Friday described the statement by the Navy as libelous, wondering how the Navy could reduce itself to such a low level.
The statement, signed by Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director, Operations and Technical, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, said that TSL will not join issues with the Navy as “we are well aware that Nigerians know who is who”.
The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a defamatory and libellous statement made by the Nigerian Navy against our organisation, Tantita Security Services Limited.
“In the statement made on Thursday the 7th of December, 2023 by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, he informed the general public that the Nigerian Navy had detected and arrested a 77 meter long motor tanker for crude oil theft with her 17 crew members.
“He further added and we quote ‘it is believed that Tantita Security Services is involved in these illegalities because Awoye riverine area which is close to the place of arrest is covered by TSS. Again it was upon the arrest of the vessel by the Nigerian Navy that TSS began to raise false alarm, totally unfounded and indeed mischievous.’
“We are indeed saddened and disappointed that the Nigerian Navy could descend so low as to make such bizarre accusations against our organisation knowing same to be false.
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“Perhaps they are not aware that video evidence of what transpired between the Tantita operatives and the Nigerian Navy at the scene exists and has been transmitted to the highest authorities.
“We will therefore not join issues with the Nigerian Navy as we are well aware that Nigerians know who is who.”
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