President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led-federal government should not release an oil vessel arrested on suspicion of oil theft, a private pipeline security contractor early this month, Mayor Eshanakpe Israel, has said.

Israel (a.k.a Akpodoro) who is a stakeholder in the pipeline security surveillance contract in the Niger Delta region, said in a statement on Friday that releasing the MT FAISEL vessel would encourage "notorious bandits to steal crude oil and ferry petroleum products to their haven for sales at the detriment of national interests".

Daily Trust reports that a vessel, MT FAISEL, that was intercepted on August 2, 2023, by the operatives of the Tantita Security Services (TSS), the contractor handling the contract of the pipeline security on behalf of the Federal Government.

Reacting to a report published in a section of the media, Akpodoro called on President Tinubu, to discountenance the 'tendentious and self serving' call for the release of the vessel.

The Urhobo-born Mayor said that, if anything, "the firm who he said its managers were faceless in the unfolding developments should rather have their firm sanctioned for their suspicious acts on the Nigerian waters particularly in the 'fragile Niger Delta territories".

"But for the need to set the records straight, there would have been no reason to respond to a rant by the agents of the firm. TSS has saved Nigeria from losing to dealers and wheelers of petroleum products billions of dollars since commencing its security operations in the coast of the Niger Delta region to which the FG is happy."