Navy hands over 61 oil thieves to police

The Nigerian Navy in Bayelsa State has handed over 61 suspected oil thieves to the state police command.

The suspected thieves had among them a Ghanaian and a Cameroonian.

The authorities on Monday evening also handed over a suspect, Abantuwe Potter, allegedly involved in the illegal possession of firearms and protection of illegal refineries in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman, while handing over the suspects to the state Police Commissioner, represented by an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Chris Nwaogu, said the seven vessels impounded by the navy in the state’s waterways would remain in its custody until the matter was concluded in court.

Usman, represented by the Command Operations Officer, Commodore Emmanuel Enemor, said the seized vessels were MT Wharf Dale; MV Henty; MV Tobiloba; MT Emmanuel; MT Pauline; MV S &T Victoria (tug) and a large wooden boat (Cotonou).

The FOC said they were arrested between July and September 2013 by the patrol team of the Forward Operating Base, at Egweama Brass, at various locations with stolen crude.

Usman said, “MT WHARF DALE’s vessel with an all Nigerian crew of six, was arrested on July 6 for dubious intent to load stolen crude oil. All the crew members of MT WHARF DALE, including the captain, had no identification cards at the time of the arrest. The vessel had no ship log, thereby making it difficult for her voyage itinerary to be properly established.

“MT WHARF DALE was engaged in oil transport without flag , registration, call-sign and International Maritime Organisation’s number, thereby constituting gross violations of international shipping regulations.”

The naval boss also said MV HENTY, which had a crew of five Nigerians and one Ghanaian, was arrested on July 25 for alleged illegal conversion from fishing trawler to a bunkering vessel with 132,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.

He added, “MT Pauline was arrested with a 10-man crew of nine Nigerians and a Cameroonian on September 6, off Nun river for being loaded with 360,000 litres of illegally refined AGO without relevant documents for the voyage as well as the products on board.

“As for MV Tobiloba, the vessel was arrested with all Nigerian crew of seven on August 24 at Akassa as the vessel was loaded with 100,000 litres of illegal refined AGO .”

Read more: http://www.punchng.com/metro/navy-hands-over-61-oil-thieves-to-police/