The Flag Officer Commanding, FOC Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Mohammed Hassan, on Saturday, confirmed the arrest of 13 suspected crude oil thieves on board Motor Tanker, MT Candy Miri off the coast of Nigerian waters.
Hassan instructed newsmen aboard the vessel that the motor tanker was ladened with virtually two million litres of merchandise suspected to be crude oil and had no naval approval onboard.
The FOC, who can be the Commander, Joint Taskforce Operation Awase, South West, mentioned thorough investigations to make sure that kingpins of crude oil theft have been delivered to e book can be carried out
He mentioned the launch of Operation Delta Sanity by the Chief of Naval Employees, CNS Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla had additional spurred naval males in the direction of preventing crude oil theft with extra vigour.
“On Feb. 15, our radar detected a darkish ship, that means, she disguise all types of investigation so far as 174 Nautical Miles off the coast of Nigeria heading westward in the direction of Republic of Benin.
“We dispatched Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Aba to go and examine the contact, we subsequently adopted the investigation by dispatching NNS Sokoto to double-up the search and interdiction.
“MT Candy Miri, is a vessel that has been on the watch listing of the Nigerian Navy for a while and has been arrested for suspicion of crude oil theft,” the FOC mentioned.
Mr Hassan mentioned the vessel was opened for different businesses to return and take samples and perform their very own impartial investigations to seek out out the culpability of the vessel of curiosity.
“We’re pleased to contribute additional within the struggle towards crude oil theft and we’ll proceed to double-up on our efforts on this regard.
“We expect that almost all of this theft is carried out from deserted properly heads at sea.
“There are such a lot of unfold out throughout and there’s a have to decommission these oil heads as they supply avenues for thieves to make the most of,” he mentioned.
Mr Hassan reiterated the dedication of the Navy below the directions of the CNS to clamp down on kingpins following the arrest of MT Vinnalaris 1 Lagos, in December 2023 in Ondo State.
He mentioned the CNS had directed that every one arrests should be correctly investigated and justice served.
“So, we aren’t simply to cease on the degree of crew arrest however to additionally go after kingpins and with the case of MT Vinnalaris, now we have performed a superb job.
“Now we have gotten the individuals concerned within the theft and that features the managerial degree of the corporate that owns the ship.
“We simply have yet another individual to pickup who has absconded exterior Nigeria however we’re ready for him,” the FOC mentioned.
Hassan gave credit score to the DSS for being a formidable organisation and for doing an important job significantly in issues of investigations delivered to them. (NAN)