A company owned by former Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, Tantita Security Services (TSS) Ltd., has alleged that up to 90 per cent of refined diesel sold in Nigeria’s filling stations is ‘brewed’ by local communities in the Niger Delta. The firm, which was contracted by the federal government in 2022 to embark upon oil surveillance activities in the region, following the massive fall in crude oil production, stated that almost all the oil companies patronise those who illegally refine the country’s crude.
The Executive Director, Operations & Technical, Tantita, Capt. Warredi Enisuo, who spoke during a panel session at the just concluded Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) summit in Abuja, therefore argued that the communities must focus consistently when the progress of the oil industry is discussed.The panel was themed: “ Exploring Nigeria’s Content Solutions to Meet Energy Demand.”
Enisuo argued that the reason that cheap, illegal diesel was no longer available, more or less, was because of the work that Tantita was doing to stop oil theft in the Niger Delta, insisting that oil communities must no longer be ignored.
“Why is there no scarcity of diesel (right now)? There is scarcity of PMS (petrol). The story is simple. Most of the diesel you buy is brewed (refined) by the communities.“ Don’t let any fuel station deceive you, 90 per cent of the diesel in fuel stations are produced by the communities. It will also interest you to know that even the oil companies, they patronise the local diesel refineries. Don’t let anybody deceive you.
“But they do it illegally and behind the doors. So, as we go with the local content, the board has a lot to do with people with this skill and character. I’m not too sure how much your act has done to establish infrastructure, but to be honest with you, we might need to focus more on the communities,” Enisuo emphasised.
Peoplesmind
