Navy Obeys Court Order On Illegal Bunkering Vessels …Products Forfeited To FG

The Naval Central Command, Yenagoa has received two separate court orders directing it to release two vessels arrested for illegal bunkering  some years ago for evacuation of the products on board.

The order was served on the command by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which said an indigenous firm, Fenix Imprex Nigerian Limited has been approved to carried out the evacuation of the said vessels, MT (Motorised Tanker) Hope and MT Vesky.

The two court orders obtained by EFCC were issued at Yenagoa and Asaba Federal High Courts.

Receiving the orders the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) incharge of the  Command,  Rear Admiral Johnson Olutoyin,  said following the court directives, the vessels would be released and the evacuation strictly monitored.

Rear Admiral Olutoyin said the vessels were not destroyed because they were arrested long before the new directives.

According to him the vessels, MT Hope and MT Vesky were impounded some years back by operatives of the Nigerian Navy for engaging in illegal bunkering in the water ways of the Niger Delta.

Olutoyin, said at the time of the arrest MT Vesky  was carrying 50 metric tons of illegal refined diesel(AGO), while MT Hope contained unspecified quantity of crude oil.

Officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, EFCC and Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Nigerian Navy were present at the handing over ceremony.

An official of the EFCC ,Ade Haastrup, who  handed over the court orders to the naval boss ,said the two court orders directed  officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) and Directorate of Petroleum Resources(DPR) to assist in the evacuation of the products.

The Naval boss stressed  that the matter involving MT Hope had been concluded in court which ruled that  the product and vessel should  be forfeited to the federal government.

Olutoyin clarified that the Fenix and Imprex would evacuate only the illegally refined diesel in MT Vesky, noting that the company should act with the decisions of the court order.

He went on:”Up till this moment, the owners of those vessels have not shown documents to show that they duly procured the products and relevant papers to back up their claims.

“ As part of the process of the prosecuting offenders , the product is being evacuated to allow the vessels ,either be returned to their owners and the product held in storage somewhere for further prosecution. For the vessel,MT Hope  whose case has been concluded by the court order now stand as forfeited to  government.

The product and vessel now stands to be forfeited to the federal government. Such product would be evacuated, if it is still found useful ,it can be sold and proceeds from it would be paid into EFCC’ s dedicated bank account. These two vessels were arrested years ago.”

“It is important, he further said  that the company is aware of this and ensures that while evacuating the product, it does not subsequently engage in other activities that would fall outside the context of this court order. While the federal government may have given this approval for the product to be evacuated ,we would not want a situation where  some other activities inimical to the health of this nation and to  the survival of this nation are engaged by the company.”

Accepting the responsibility of evacuatiing the illegal petroleum products the Managing Director of the contracting firm, Jarrett Tenebe assured that the firm would be transparent and also co-operate  with all the  relevant agencies involved.

Tenebe lauded  the  commitment  and zero tolerance of the Chief of Naval Staff on illegal bunkering activities  in the creeks of the Niger Delta .