The Nigerian Navy has arrested 42 suspected oil thieves and impounded three vessels and a barge laden with over 1 . 5 million litres of illegally refined automated gasoline oil , also known as AGO.
The vessels were intercepted at different locations with some of the crew members arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder .
Executive Officer of NNS Pathfinder , Navy Captain Victor Choji , told newsmen that one of the vessels , MT Anino , was seized on Monday , May 29 , 2017 while the second vessel, MT Santos , was intercepted the following day by the operatives .
Choji also listed MT Eunice as one of the vessels impounded , adding that the vessel was laden with over 1 million litres of petroleum product suspected to have been stolen .
According to him , while MT Anino was intercepted at the Federal Ocean Terminal in Onne , with 26 suspects arrested , 16 suspects, who were crew members of MT Santos were arrested at the Federal Ocean Terminal Anchorage at the Onne Port in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State .
Handing over the vessels to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation , Choji said the Navy was determined to fight oil theft to a standstill.
“ In line with the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff , Vice Admiral Ibok Ete - Ibas , for the Navy to keep the nation ’ s waterways safe and secure and conducive for socio -economic activities to thrive , the NNS Pathfinder on routine patrol intercepted at 23 . 50 hours on 29 th May 2017 a vessel , MT Anino , operating with a one million litre barge laden with unquantified illegally refined AGO with about 26 crew members on board .
“ Additionally , on the 30 th May , 2017 , another one million litre barge was intercepted also around Onne community and also laden with unquantified illegally refined AGO. ”
He , however , expressed the Nigerian Navy ’ s determination to ensure that the Rivers State maritime environment remained safe , secure and conducive for lawful business to grow .
According to him , “ Let me assure the law abiding members of the public that NNS Pathfinder has raised its activities against crude oil theft , illegal bunkering and all forms of illegality in the Rivers State maritime environment .
“ To the criminals, there is no more hiding place for you in Rivers State . We have dominated the area ; we have put in place strategies to ensure that they do not operate and have safe havens in this area . ”
Choji pointed out that the 42 suspects would be handed over to the relevant authority for further investigation and prosecution .
In his remarks, a Senior Detective Superintendent in the EFCC , Mr . Macaulay Olayinka, said they were taking over the vessels for further investigations.
Olayinka , who described illegal refining and oil theft as sabotage to the nation ’ s economy , explained that the EFCC had zero tolerance for illegally dealing in petroleum products , adding that culprits will not be spared
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