Obangame: Navy arrests wanted vessel, 26 suspected oil thieves

The Nigerian Navy said no fewer than 26 suspected oil thieves were arrested during the just concluded Exercise Obangame launched by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo.

A vessel on its watch list, MT Queen of Peace, was also impounded alongside a long wooden boat and a tug boat loaded with an unspecified quantity of crude oil.

The Navy, in a statement by its spokesperson, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, on Thursday said seven of the suspected oil thieves were Beninoise while others are Nigerians.

He said five of the suspected oil thieves were arrested by the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder at the Naval Base in Port Harcourt and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The statement read, “On Day 5 of the exercise, the Nigerian Navy arrested MT Queen of Peace, a vessel of interest for over a year.

“The vessel was last sighted at the Trans Amadi Jetty in Port Harcourt, before she switched off her Automatic Identification System and proceeded on three weeks of unknown activities but was successfully intercepted South West of Bonny FairWay Buoy on March 15, 2022.

“The dark activities of the vessel were monitored by the Nigerian Navy Falcon Eye Surveillance System and Nigerian Navy Ship Ekulu was detached from the Exercise Obangame to intercept and arrest the vessel.

“Subsequent interrogation revealed that the vessel with 14 crew members onboard was laden with an unspecified quantity of crude oil.

“Additionally, the vessel was unable to provide appropriate documentation from the point of loading as well as documents and authority of her intended operations. These therefore led to the arrest of the vessel and she is currently at Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base Bonny for further investigation and possible hand-over for prosecution.

“Exercise Obangame Express 2022 has also seen the arrest of seven Beninoise in a long wooden boat fully loaded with unspecified petroleum products from questionable sources.

“Meanwhile, as part of the relentless effort of the Nigerian Navy in fighting maritime illegalities, Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder at Naval Base Port Harcourt also arrested and handed over five suspected oil thieves with a diesel – laden barge and a tug boat to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 14 March 2022.”

“These arrests depict and reinforce the Nigerian Navy’s resolve to consistently sustain its aggressive posture against oil theft and other maritime illegalities.”