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Navy says rogue vessel, crew will not be released until penalties are paid

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12 months ago

May 9, 2023

Navy says rogue vessel, crew will not be released until penalties are paid

The Nigerian Navy, on Monday, declared that a rogue vessel, MT Heroic Idun and its 26 crew members will not be released until penalties imposed on them are paid.

This declaration is coming after a court ordered the vessel and the crew to be released as part of a plea bargain. The court however placed penalties to be paid.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo made the declaration on Monday.

The vessel was arrested nine months ago, in Equatorial Guinea, after a failed attempt to lift crude oil from Nigerian waters without clearance, and raising the false alarm that pirates were pursuing it.

An out of court settlement was however arranged by the affected countries with the vessel and 26 crew members among who were citizens of India, Sri-Lanka, Pakistan and Poland were ordered to be released after a plea bargain.

Read also: Nigerian Navy says NNPC lied, deceiving Nigerians about crude oil theft figures

Vice Admiral Gambo, while giving an update, said: “It is to be noted that the vessel and crew will not be released until the penalty and restitution are paid as well as public apologies made in the print and electronic media in Nigeria and Llyod’s list.

“The successful arraignment and conviction of Motor Tanker HEROIC IDUN and her crew arrested last August, sentenced after a plea bargain to pay N5 million as penalty for the charge and $15 million as restitution to the country, is a resilient indication that the Nigerian Navy, as the nation’s maritime sentinel, will stop at nothing to ensure the domain is safer for sustainable development of the nation’s blue economy.”

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