Navy hands over 25 suspected oil thieves to NSCDC

The Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy has arrested 25 people including a cadet of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, for allegedly stealing petroleum products at various points in the Niger Delta region.
The suspects were on board a vessel MT Eil Tank 123 when they were rounded up by the troops of the Forward Operating Base, FORMOSO, Brass Local Government Area, in Bayelsa State.
Handing over the suspects to the state commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Desmond Agu, for prosecution last Saturday, the Flag Officer, Commanding, CNC, Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman said 12 of the suspects were arrested onboard the vessel christened, MT Eil Tank 123.
Usman, who was represented at the event by Commodore Vincent Okeke, said the MAN Oron, who was on internship, had been released.He explained that the suspected vessel was arrested offshore Agbami oil field by the Nigerian Navy Ship Zaria.
He added that the ship was laden with 1, 241,000 litres of stolen crude oil without “necessary clearance or permit for movement of petroleum products particularly crude oil.”Usman said five of the suspects were apprehended onboard a large dug-out wooden boat offshore Brass River.
“At the time of the arrest, the boat was loaded with about 60,000 litres of product suspected to be crude oil. She neither had documents to show proof of purchase nor permit from relevant regulatory agencies for crude oil lifting,” he said.
He added that nine suspects were nabbed onboard another vessel which was loaded with 870,000 litres of crude oil.
“This handing over re-emphasizes the determination of the Chief of the Naval Staff to completely eradicate crude oil theft from the nation’s maritime domain,” he stressed.