NNPC To Destroy Holab Maritime Vessel With 800,000 Litres Of Stolen Crude

NNPC Ltd, Monday, disclosed that an 800,000-litre (211,338-U.S. gallon) vessel registered to Holab Maritime Services Limited, carrying stolen crude had been intercepted offshore while heading to Cameroon and would be destroyed as a deterrent to oil theft.

BrandNewsDay reports that Nigeria’s state-owned oil firm, NNPC said the oil was stolen from a well in southwestern Ondo state. The MT Tura II vessel was owned by locally registered Holab Maritime Services Limited and had no valid documentation for the oil, the company said.

According to NNPP, “Destroying vessels involved in transporting stolen crude oil is of paramount importance as a strong deterrent”.

The vessel – MT TURA II (IMO number: 6620462) – belonging to Businessman Henry Coker with the registered name Holab Maritime Services Limited, was apprehended offshore with the Captain and Crew members on board.

In his statement obtained by BrandNewsDay, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Limited, Garba Deen Muhammad, stated: “Following the receipt of credible intelligence, a Private Security Contractor engaged by NNPC Ltd., Messrs. Tantita Security Services, intercepted a suspicious Vessel with Cargo of Crude oil on board on July 7, 2023.

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“The Vessel, MT TURA II (IMO number: 6620462), owned by a Nigerian Registered Company, HOLAB MARITIME SERVICES LIMITED with Registration Number RC813311, was heading to Cameroun with the Cargo on board when it was apprehended at an offshore location (Latitude: 5.8197194477543235°, Longitude: 4.789002723991871°), with the Captain and Crew members on board.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the crude oil cargo onboard was illegally sourced from a well jacket offshore Ondo State, Nigeria. There was no valid documentation for the Vessel or the Crude Oil Cargo onboard at the time of the arrest.

“Further investigation into the activities of the vessel at the NNPC Ltd. Command and Control Centre also revealed that the Vessel has been operating in stealth mode for the last twelve (12) years. The last reported location of the Vessel was Tin Can Port in July 2011.

“Details of this arrest and the outcomes of the investigations were escalated to the appropriate Government authorities in the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, upon which it was concluded to destroy the Vessel to serve as a strong warning and deterrent to all those participating in such illegal activities to cease and desist.

“Destroying vessels involved in transporting stolen crude oil is of paramount importance as a strong deterrent. The illegal trade of stolen crude oil not only inflicts significant economic losses on Nigeria and legitimate stakeholders in the oil industry, but also perpetuates a cycle of corruption, environmental devastation, and social instability.”

He added: “NNPC Limited assures Nigerians that we will sustain the momentum in the war against crude oil theft until it is brought to a halt”.

As of the time of this writing, Holab could not be reached for comment on numbers listed on its website.