Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) has responded to viral social media reports alleging that it illegally sealed petrol filling stations along the Abeke Road and Ugberikoko Road axis in Sapele, Delta State.
In a press statement released Tuesday, the private security firm clarified that the closures were carried out in conjunction with government security agencies following credible intelligence that some petrol stations in the area were selling illegal petroleum products.
According to the statement, the affected stations were suspected of selling condensate — an unrefined and hazardous by-product of crude oil extraction — as petrol. Tantita warned that condensate is not licensed for retail sale, poses a serious risk to vehicle engines, and is often linked to oil theft and other illicit activities in the petroleum sector.
“In line with our mandate from the Federal Government to secure oil and gas infrastructure, we received intelligence that some filling stations were dispensing condensate. We immediately alerted the relevant security agencies, who visited the locations with our personnel and sealed the premises to allow for investigation and testing,” the statement read.
Preliminary test results, Tantita said, have confirmed that at least two of the stations were indeed selling condensate disguised as petrol. The company stressed that the closures were temporary and done purely in the interest of public safety.
“Any station found not to be involved will be re-opened immediately. Our focus is protecting Nigerians from the harmful effects of illegal petroleum products and preventing further economic sabotage,” the statement continued.
Tantita Security Services reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, transparency, and safeguarding national oil assets across the Niger Delta. The company, which operates under a Federal Government contract, plays a significant role in combating oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the region.
The statement assured members of the public that the investigations are ongoing and the firm remains focused on its core duty of protecting the nation’s oil infrastructure from criminal exploitation.
