Oil Theft: 61 In Police Net

Sixty-One suspected oil thieves who had been in the naval detention camp were formally handed over to the police, yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Among the suspects were nationals of Ghana and Cameroun who were paraded along with their Nigerian collaborators before newsmen prior to the hand over.
Also handed over to the police for further investigations was, Abantuwe Potter allegedly involved in the illegal possession of firearms and protection of illegal refineries in Southern Ijaw Local Government of the state.
Flag Officer Commanding the Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman while parading and handing over the suspects to the state Police Commissioner, who was represented by an Assistant Superitendent of Police ,Chris Nwaogu, said  seven vessels impounded by the Navy in the state’s waterways would remain in their custody until the matter was concluded in court.
Represented by Commodore Emmanuel Enemor,the flag officer said the impounded vessels which include MT WHARF DALE,MV HENTY, MV TOBILOBA, MT EMMANUEL , MT PAULINE,MV S &T VICTORIA(tug) and a large wooden boat(Cotonou) were arrested between July and September this year by the patrol team of the Forward Operating Base (FORMOSO) at Egweama, Brass at various locations with stolen crude which amounts to  economic sabotage .
He said:”MT WHARF DALE vessel with an all-Nigerian crew of six was arrested on July 6 for dubious intent to load stolen crude oil.All the crew members of MT WHARF DALE ,including the captain had no identification cards at the time of the arrest.MT WHARF DALE had no ship log thereby making it difficult for her voyage itinerary to be more properly established.MT WHARF DALE was engaged in oil transport without flag ,registration, call-sign and International Maritime Organization number ,thereby constituting gross violation of international shipping regulations.”
In the same vein, the Naval boss said MV HENTY, which had a crew of five Nigerians and one Ghanaian, was arrested on July 25 for alleged illegal conversion from fishing trawler to a bunkering vessel with 132,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
Continuing, he said “MT PAULINE was arrested with a 10-man crew of nine Nigerians and a Cameroonian on September 6 off Nun River for being loaded with 360,000 litres of illegally refined AGO without relevant documents for the voyage as well as the product on board.MV TOBILOBA was arrested with all Nigerian crew of seven on August 24 at Akassa as the vessel was loaded with 100,000 litres of illegally refined AGO” .
According to Usman, the said vessel did not possess relevant documents such as licenses and permits for her voyage.
The flag officer further said the Cotonou boat with all Nigerian crew of 16 persons was also arrested by his men on September 15 off St.Nicholas River entrance for allegedly attempting to siphon stolen crude oil from MT LINA into over 386 drums on board the boat.
The Naval chief recalled that not long ago, the crew of other several vessels arrested by their patrol teams were handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as well as the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation and prosecution.
He said:”The sum total of these efforts is to ensure that those who commit economic crimes against our dear nation do not go unpunished.”