The Nigerian Navy, Central Naval Command, have arrested 21 persons in connection with crude oil theft.
They also intercepted two vessels loaded
with crude oil worth over N2.4bn along the waterways of Agbami Oil
Field and Ebi creeks in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa
State.
Flag Officer Commanding, CNC, Rear
Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman, said during the inspection of the seized vessels
on Tuesday that at the time of the vessels’ interception,they were
carrying 2.111million litres of crude oil estimated to be over N2.4bn.
He said the vessels, MT Eli Tank and one
other, were arrested at separate locations along the Ebi creeks and
Agbami Oil Field between December 26, 2013 and January 14, 2014.
Usman said the arrested oil thieves were all Nigerians and they lacked necessary permits for the lifting of crude oil.
He also said the documents they tendered
were not the required ones, stressing that they were unable to tender
relevant documents such as Nigerian Port Authority bunkering permit and
the NNPC nomination for crude oil lifting.
He added, “They (suspects) lack the
certificate of registration with the Joint Military Task Force and did
not have the Navy Headquarters approval for the movement of petroleum
products within the command’s area of responsibility.”
The FOC assured Nigerians that the naval
authorities would sustain the tempo of waterways and creeks’
surveillance in the Niger Delta.
“It underscores the determination of the
Nigerian Navy and the Central Naval Command in particular, to
completely eradicate oil theft, illegal bunkering and other illegalities
in the Nigerian waters,” Usman said.
PUNCH
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