About 25 crude oil thieves
have been handed over to the operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) by the authorities of the Central Naval Command (CNC), Bayelsa State, at the weekend, for prosecution.
The suspects the Navy said, were arrested in three separate ships last month off Brass coastal waterways with various volumes of suspected petroleum products.
According to the Navy, all the suspects were Nigerians who were intercepted by its patrol team from the Forward Operating Base, Formoso while onboard MTV Eclips and Mt Eil Tank123 vessels.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony at the CNC Operational Base, Deputy Command Operation Officer (CNC), Commodore Vincent Chukwuma Okeke, said the command was strong by determined to completely eradicate crude oil theft from the nations maritime domain.
Hear him,” the Flag Officer Commanding CNC has remained resolute in enforcing the Chief of Naval Staff mandate on the eradication of all forms of criminalities and illegalities in the creeks and waterways within its command areas of responsibility.”
Commodore Okeke said the captain of one of the vessels did not have relevant documents or permits, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation licence for lifting or storage of crude oil.
He noted that during the arrest, MTV Eclips vessel with 9 Nigerian crew was laden with over 870,000 suspected stolen crude oil, as laboratory analysis confirmed that the product was crude oil.
The deputy operating officer also said that MT Eil Tank 123 with 12 Nigerian suspected oil thieves were arrested as the vessel had 1,241,000 litres of stolen crude oil, noting that the vessel also did not have necessary clearance or permit for movement of petroleum products, particularly crude oil.
He equally noted that a wooden boat, (Cotonou boat) with 5 Nigerian oil thieves onboard were intercepted with over 60,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
The command said the five suspects neither had documents to show proof of purchase nor permit from relevant regulatory agencies for crude oil lifting.
Commodore Okeke warned crude oil thieves to desist from stealing the nation’s crude or risk severe sanctions when arrested.
Earlier, state commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu while receiving the 25 crude oil suspects from the Naval Command said, all the suspects would be charged to court next week.
Agu insisted that it was the responsibility of his corps to prosecute such notorious oil thieves in the country, noting that all the suspects would be prosecuted.
He lauded the Flag Officer Commanding the CNC for having strong confident in the corps, and vowed to partner with CNC to curb the menace of oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the region.
