Navy Impounds Vessel, Arrests Three For Smuggling Diesel

The Nigerian Navy in Rivers State says it has seized a vessel and arrested three suspected smugglers for allegedly shipping undisclosed litres of diesel for sale without approval.
Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, the Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, Bonny , Capt Suleiman Olorundare said MV, Orbit II and three Nigerian crewmen were arrested on February 5, at a yellow platform in Bonny channel by troop on patrol of waterways.
According to the officer, “when our troops boarded the rogue vessel, they demanded for the licence to liff the petroleum product and the crewmen couldn’t present any document”.
Capt Olorundere said: “The Navy invited the department of petroleum Resources (DPR) to test the quality and quantity of the product”.
According to him, DPR in the course of its investigation confirmed the petroleum products to be illegally refined automotive gas oil (Diesel).
He also said that the quality of the diesel would be determined by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
Olorundare also maintained that the Navy would continue to maintain zero tolerance to all forms of criminality in the waterways as well as ensure 24 hours patrol of maritime environment.
Earlier, Head of Counter Terrorism and General Investigation, EFCC, David Inyang commended the Navy for its synergy with the commission.
Inyang while receiving the suspect assured the Navy that the suspects would be arraigned in court in no possible time.

Chinedu Wosu