The Nigerian Navy Ship NNS BEECROFT has arrested a Ghana- owned vessel, Motor Tanker SWEET MIRI suspected to have been involved in crude oil theft.
The vessel was arrested 174 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria, approximately 320 kilometers, heading to Benin Republic.
Base Information Officer, NNS BEECROFT, Lieutenant Hussaini Ibrahim
in a statement on Saturday said the vessel had 13 crew, 1 Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians.
The statement quoted the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral MB Hassan,as stating that the vessel was carrying about 2 million liters of suspected product without approval including the deactivation of its Automatic Identification System on February 25, 2024, to avoid detection.
He said following this, the Nigerian Navy Ship ABA was deployed for a thorough investigation, revealing the vessel’s cargo suspected to be crude oil.
The statement reads, “The Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT under the strategic leadership of Commodore Kolawole Olumide Oguntuga and Maritime Component Commander Operation AWATSE, arrested a vessel, Motor Tanker SWEET MIRI suspected to have been involved in crude oil theft.
“The vessel had 13 crew, 1 Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians. The vessel has been a vessel of interest to the Nigerian Navy and she is being arrested on suspicion of crude oil theft.
“On 25 February 2024, the vessel was observed to have switched off its Automatic Identification System to avoid detection. The vessel was arrested 174 nautical miles of the coast of Nigeria, approximately 320 kilometers, heading to Benin Republic. This necessitated the deployment of Nigerian Navy Ship ABA to investigate the vessel. Subsequently, she was found carrying products suspected to be crude oil.
“Thereafter, NNS SOKOTO was deployed to double up the search and interdict the vessel. On arrival, it was discovered that she was carrying about 2 million liters of suspected product without approval. ”
The FOC further disclosed that,
the vessel is owned by a Ghanian and registered in Ghana by a Ghanian company adding that in line with the directive of Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral EI Ogalla,
the ship is opened for other agencies to take samples and carry out their own independent investigations to find out the culpability of the vessel.
In the same vein, while giving update on the earlier arrested Motor Tanker VINNALARIS, the FOC said that, the CNS has instructed that the investigations of all arrested vessels should be conducted beyond the level of crew to identify the masterminds behind such illicit activities.
He also appreciated the efforts of the Department of State Services (DSS) for assisting the Nigerian Navy in conducting investigations when matters of crude oil theft are brought to them.
