In a decisive blow to oil theft operations, a combined team of the Nigerian Army’s 181 Battalion, Oleh, and Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd. has intercepted a vacuum truck transporting illegally extracted crude oil from Well 3, Olomoro, in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The vehicle, formerly owned by Engr. Daniel Omoyibo (aka Damotech) and reportedly gifted to the current driver, Mr. Matthew Ojomikre, is now at the center of an ongoing investigation.
Mr. Ojomikre is currently being held at the Forward Operating Base (FOB), 181 Battalion, Oleh.
During preliminary interrogation, the driver claimed his company was contracted by Heritage Energy Operational Services Ltd. to evacuate sludge from the wellhead.
However, he failed to present the requisite documentation or official authorization, a major deviation from standard procedure.
Security sources confirm that Heritage Energy had previously ensured proper documentation and trucking permits were issued to both Army personnel and Tantita operatives for legitimate operations.
The absence of such documentation in this case raised immediate red flags.
Samples of the truck’s contents have been collected for laboratory analysis by a joint team from Tantita, Heritage, and the Nigerian Army.
Initial findings suggest the vehicle was used to siphon crude oil under the guise of sludge evacuation.
Investigators have also linked the same truck to prior instances of unauthorized crude transportation across the Isoko region, deepening suspicions of a broader illegal operation.
The truck, its contents, and the detained driver remain in military custody pending further investigation and potential prosecution.
Authorities have vowed to pursue every lead in dismantling the network behind the operation.
