The Nigerian Navy, Central
Naval Command, Bayelsa State,
has arrested 13 suspected oil
thieves and intercepted vessel
laden with stolen crude oil.
The suspects and the illegal
vessel, christened MT
R
EDEMPTION, were
intercepted at Middleton and
Peddington area of Brass,
Bayelsa State, off the Atlantic
Ocean.
The suspects were paraded
before journalists at the
command’s Forward Operating
Base (FOB Formoso) at
Egwema, Brass, Bayelsa State,
on Wednesday.
The suspects and the vessel
with its content, were
subsequently handed over to
operatives of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, for further investigation
and prosecution.
Narrating how the suspects
were arrested, the Flag Officer
Commanding, Central Naval
Command, Rear Admiral
Stanley Ogoigbe, said the
gigantic oil vessel and 11
suspected oil thieves were
arrested on January 20, 2015.
The FOC said the vessel, MT
REDEMPTION, was intercepted
by his men on patrol and upon
interrogation, it was revealed
that the vessel had no cogent
reasons to be around the area
she was found.
Ogoigbe said, “When the patrol
team searched the vessel, it was
discovered that some tanks
including drums kept on the
main deck were laden with
products suspected to be crude
oil approximately 100,000
litres.
“The captain of the vessel
claimed that the contents of the
tanks and drums were bitumen
but were confirmed to be
crude oil after the product was
taken to Nigeria Agip Oil
Company for laboratory test.
“The crew of MT REDEMPTION
could neither disclose the
source of the product nor
present any valid documents
authorising the vessel to lift
crude oil.
“Preliminary investigation by
his operatives revealed that MT
REDEMPTION was owned by
one Alhaji Omar Suleiman, who
is the owner of Omar Oil
Agency Ltd at Tema, Ghana,
while the agents of the
company in Nigeria are Mr.
Niyi Akimosho and Mr.
Addisson a Ghanaian, who
allegedly assist the owner in
recruiting crew members”.
According to Ogoigbe, members
of the crew were the captain,
Chief Engineer and 11 others.
He assured Nigerians that the
Central Naval Command under
his watch would bring oil theft
to zero level in the area of their
responsibility.
Naval Command, Bayelsa State,
has arrested 13 suspected oil
thieves and intercepted vessel
laden with stolen crude oil.
The suspects and the illegal
vessel, christened MT
R
EDEMPTION, were
intercepted at Middleton and
Peddington area of Brass,
Bayelsa State, off the Atlantic
Ocean.
The suspects were paraded
before journalists at the
command’s Forward Operating
Base (FOB Formoso) at
Egwema, Brass, Bayelsa State,
on Wednesday.
The suspects and the vessel
with its content, were
subsequently handed over to
operatives of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, for further investigation
and prosecution.
Narrating how the suspects
were arrested, the Flag Officer
Commanding, Central Naval
Command, Rear Admiral
Stanley Ogoigbe, said the
gigantic oil vessel and 11
suspected oil thieves were
arrested on January 20, 2015.
The FOC said the vessel, MT
REDEMPTION, was intercepted
by his men on patrol and upon
interrogation, it was revealed
that the vessel had no cogent
reasons to be around the area
she was found.
Ogoigbe said, “When the patrol
team searched the vessel, it was
discovered that some tanks
including drums kept on the
main deck were laden with
products suspected to be crude
oil approximately 100,000
litres.
“The captain of the vessel
claimed that the contents of the
tanks and drums were bitumen
but were confirmed to be
crude oil after the product was
taken to Nigeria Agip Oil
Company for laboratory test.
“The crew of MT REDEMPTION
could neither disclose the
source of the product nor
present any valid documents
authorising the vessel to lift
crude oil.
“Preliminary investigation by
his operatives revealed that MT
REDEMPTION was owned by
one Alhaji Omar Suleiman, who
is the owner of Omar Oil
Agency Ltd at Tema, Ghana,
while the agents of the
company in Nigeria are Mr.
Niyi Akimosho and Mr.
Addisson a Ghanaian, who
allegedly assist the owner in
recruiting crew members”.
According to Ogoigbe, members
of the crew were the captain,
Chief Engineer and 11 others.
He assured Nigerians that the
Central Naval Command under
his watch would bring oil theft
to zero level in the area of their
responsibility.
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