Navy arrests 57 sailors for alleged smuggling

The Nigeria Navy on Friday revealed that 57 sailors had been arrested in Rivers State for allegedly smuggling crude oil, and illegally refining diesel.

Among those arrested were a Ukrainian and a Mexican.

It was gathered that the suspects were arrested between Aug. 11 and Aug. 25 onboard four vessels, two wooden boats and a barge.

Capt. Adegoke Ebo, Executive Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, spoke in Onne, Rivers, while handing over the suspects and items to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Read also: NNPC trunk line explodes in Delta

“The suspects were intercepted by the NNS Pathfinder patrol team around Onne Anchorage and Okochiri creek in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers.

“The four vessels, MV Western Orient, MV Temile, AHT Ajemisan and Jascon 23 as well as two large wooden boats and a barge, Ana Marine, all had 57 crew members onboard.

“They comprised of 55 Nigerians, one Mexican and one Ukraine nationals. The crews did not have clearance to transport petroleum products in the nation’s waters,” he said.

Ebo maintained that the vessels and wooden boats were laden with unspecified quantity of petroleum products suspected to be crude oil and illegally refined diesel.

He added that the barge, Ana Marine, was seized over suspicious movement around oil and gas pipelines in Okirika area of the state.

“Some of them were caught in the act of siphoning suspected illegally refined diesel from the wooden boats and carrying out illegal ship-to-ship transfer without any naval approval.

“Also, troops acting on intelligence report, intercepted the barge, Ana Marine, which was laden with unspecified crude oil.

“The vessels were later towed to NNS Pathfinder holding bay at Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne for safe custody as well as investigation,” he said.

The naval officer said the Navy after concluding its investigations, decided to hand over the suspects, vessels, wooden boats, barge and products to EFCC.

He said the Navy would not relent in its efforts to rid the nation’s waterways of illegalities, warning criminals to vacate the maritime environment.

Receiving the suspects and items, SP Samuel Umezuruike, Head, Task Force Station, EFCC, Port Harcourt, said the Navy in collaboration with the anti-corruption agency was winning the fight against oil smugglers and bunkers.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now