JTF Intercepts Vessel For Alleged Illegal Bunkering

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has intercepted a vessel owned by a Greek Firm, Blossom S.A, allegedly carrying more than 800 tonnes of stolen crude oil.

The spokesman of the JTF, Lt.-Col. Timothy Antigha, said in Yenagoa on Friday that the arrest was made on March 31.

The interception was made in a facility being operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NOAC) along Lagosgbene community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, the officer said.

Antigha said the arrest had further shown the resolve of the federal government to end cases of illegal bunkering on Nigeria’s territorial waters.

A national of Myanmar (formerly Burma) was arrested onboard the vessel identified as MT Glory, he said.

Antigha said the vessel had the capacity to load over 2,000 tonnes of crude oil but that it had loaded more than 800 before she was intercepted.

He said “ all we have done is to conclude our report on the arrest and it will be forwarded to the appropriate authority for further action.”

Antigha said the JTF would hand over the vessel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution of the suspects.

It was learnt that other crew members onboard the vessel dived into the sea and escaped.

The arrested foreigner confirmed the illegal loading of the crude oil but denied any involvement in the act, insisting that he was only a passenger onboard the vessel.

It was gathered that the arrested vessel was a courier to larger vessel with a crew of Myanmar nationals waiting outside Nigeria’s territorial waters.

The Tide also learnt that the effort of a Nigerian linked with the arrested vessel to secure the release through the offer of a bribe failed.