In a recent development, the House of Representatives has taken the decision to investigate the destruction of a vessel that was carrying stolen crude oil, as well as the fate of the 150,000 barrels of crude oil it contained. This resolution came after Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi presented a motion during the Plenary Session, which was subsequently adopted.

During the motion’s adoption, the House called upon the country’s security agencies to cease the practice of setting ablaze vessels loaded with stolen crude oil when apprehended, in order to combat environmental pollution in the Niger Delta Region. Hon. Ereyitomi, while moving the motion, highlighted the recent incidents of interception, arrest, and subsequent destruction of vessels transporting stolen crude oil in the Niger Delta region. The most recent incident involved the vessel MT TURA II, which took place on July 7, 2023, in the Escravos River, located in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. The vessel, MT TURA, had a capacity of 800,000 tonnes and was carrying approximately 150,000 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil at the time of its arrest and destruction.

Furthermore, Hon. Ereyitomi drew attention to a previous incident in October 2022, when a vessel named MT DEIMA, loaded with 1,500 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil, was also apprehended and set ablaze in the Warri Escravos River. He expressed concerns that the practice of burning these vessels carrying stolen crude oil would further exacerbate the already damaged ecosystem of the Niger Delta region due to oil exploration. Hon. Ereyitomi emphasized that if this destructive trend persists, it will continue to negatively impact the livelihoods and well-being of the people of the Niger Delta, who rely on fishing as their main occupation.

Despite these concerns, Hon. Ereyitomi expressed satisfaction with the Federal Government’s commitment to combating oil spillage in the Niger Delta region and improving the living conditions of the local population.