The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has
taken possession of an illegal oil bunkering vessel suspected to be carrying
300 metric tonnes of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil also known as diesel. The
vessel, MT Ocean Treasure, alongside eight crew members and three staff of
Vital Shipping Limited, Apapa, owners of the vessel, were handed over to
officials of the commission.
The crew members are: Ayoade Emmanuel, Stephen Bamgbose,
Idowu Balogun, King. C. Fred, Michael
Ekanem, Olorunwa Omowunmi, Felix
Ayenuberu and Suru Lepe; while the three staff on board the vessel are: Onuoha
Ikechukwu, Omodara Emmaneul and Faith Akhahowa.
Duniya David, Principal Maritime Safety Officer of NIMASA,
who handed over the vessel and crew on behalf of the Director General of
NIMASA, Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro, urged the commission to carry out further
investigation on the source of the petroleum product and the operations of the
vessel.
Receiving the document transferring the vessel and crew,
Usman Ladan Baki assured Nigerians, that the EFCC will do its best in
investigating the case.
According to a
statement from the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, reports showed that the
vessel was first sighted on August 5, 2012 by NIMASA enforcement team on
routine patrol off Escravos. Their
attention was drawn to the vessel because it wasn’t carrying a registered flag
and they gave it a chase. In the encounter and ensuing gun fight, the vessel
and its crew escaped. The boat conveying the patrol team ran out of fuel and
had to make a retreat. The boat later
capsized and one of the patrol team members died. On account of this, NIMASA
officials kept a tab on the vessel and eventually arrested it as it attempts to
move into the Lagos Harbour.
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