MT Thor: The Alleged FID Involvement in Crude Smuggling

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The recent interception of the vessel MT Thor in Delta State has reignited concerns about official complicity in Nigeria’s crude oil theft crisis, following allegations that the ship was being escorted under directives purportedly issued by the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Abuja.

According to reports, four suspects were arrested aboard MT Thor, allegedly laden with stolen petroleum products. The operation which was carried out by Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSNL), once again raises the issue of official of not just official complicit in the acts of crude smuggling but also exposed the deeper national tragedy of having an entire critical security institution such as the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), involved in economic crimes.

Tantita’s Executive Director of Operations, Captain Warredi Enisouh, who reportedly confirmed the arrests explained it was the result of intelligence-led surveillance targeting economic sabotage in the Niger Delta.

A situation report from the Special Prosecution Team (SPT) revealed that MT Thor was intercepted on 15 December 2025 along the Koko–Excravos axis. Ironically, the vessel was reportedly escorted by personnel of the Police Marine Unit, Delta State, who claimed they were acting on instructions from the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Abuja.

This allegation, if substantiated, points to a disturbing level of institutional involvement, suggesting that a critical intelligence arm of the Nigerian Police may have provided protection for a rogue vessel engaged in crude smuggling.

Preliminary findings link MT Thor to a jetty operated by Ebenco Global Services Limited, with documents and correspondence under forensic review. There are indications that the jetty owner, Mr. Ebenezer, has submitted additional documents, including court orders, which investigators are believed to be analyzing.

On 16 December, a joint investigation team inspected Ebenco’s facilities, collecting samples from a storage barge suspected to contain crude oil. Findings indicate further that MT Thor eventually berthed later that evening, with the collection of sample postponed until the following day.

The claim that FID sanctioned the escort of MT Thor represents a serious breach of trust, and undermines the credibility of Nigeria’s security architecture. Unlike isolated cases of low-level collusion, this allegation implicates a central intelligence department, raising fears of systemic compromise in the fight against economic crimes.

Such involvement, if proven, would suggest that crude theft networks are not only shielded by local actors but may have also been enjoying protection from within the highest levels of law enforcement intelligence.

Receiving the suspects, Omar Sini, Head of the SPT, reaffirmed the government’s determination to dismantle oil theft networks. He pledged thorough investigations and prosecution of all culpable parties, though the credibility of this assurance will hinge on whether allegations against FID are pursued with transparency and accountability.

This incident underscores the fragile integrity of Nigeria’s anti-crude theft campaign. While private surveillance firms like Tantita have demonstrated capacity to intercept rogue vessels, the alleged involvement of FID highlights a dangerous paradox: that the very institutions tasked with intelligence and protection may themselves be enabling economic sabotage.

The MT Thor case could become a litmus test for Nigeria’s willingness to confront institutional rot within its security agencies. If investigations confirm FID’s role, it will mark one of the most damning examples of official connivance in the country’s long battle against crude oil theft.

Furthermore, it is a revealing snapshot of how official protection can embolden criminal networks, and a reminder that Nigeria’s fight against crude theft will fail unless it confronts not just the thieves, but the institutions accused of shielding them.