The Nigerian Navy high command has urged Nigerians to disregard allegations by owners of Merchant Vessel CECELIA arrested and burnt by operatives for alleged oil theft.
Navy spokesman, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan told newsmen that the vessel was being trailed for a long time now by intelligence operatives.
‘MV Cecilia’ arrested with about 350,000 litres of allagedly stolen Automated Gas Oil also known as diesel in Woji, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State was set ablaze by the Nigerian Navy.
Recall that the vessel was seized by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder, Port Harcourt on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, while three suspects were arrested.
According to naval spokesman, “The attention of the Nigerian Navy (NN) and Operation DELTA SAFE (OPDS) has been drawn to the spurious and baseless allegations by the alleged owner of Merchant Vessel (MV) CECELIA who recently claimed that their vessel was seized and burnt by the NN.
“For the avoidance of doubt and to set the records straight, MV CECELIA has been a vessel of interest and was being tracked for allegations of oil theft. The vessel was arrested on August 15, 2023 with products suspected to be illegally refined AGO at Meco Jetty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State following an operation by the Naval Component of OPDS.
“A press interview was conducted immediately after the arrest, however, the owners of the vessel remained at large. Subsequently, the sample of the products onboard the vessel was taken for laboratory analysis and it was discovered to be illicit AGO.
“Pertinently, the owners of the vessel were at large and did not present themselves to witness the test in line with extant procedure.
“The behaviour of the alleged owner is not surprising, as it has been the practice among oil thieves. In some cases where vessels involved in oil theft are arrested, the owners abscond leaving the NN to bear the cost of keeping and sustaining the vessels. This has cost the nation huge sums of money and has constituted serious national security problems. Most of the vessels either sink alongside the jetty or within the channel constituting serious navigational hazards.
“These abandoned vessels have been the major reason why the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the past, declared the nation’s ports/waterways as the most unsafe ports in the region. This has been a contributing factor to the high insurance premium on ships operating in Nigerian waters with negative impact on the nation’s economy.
“Suffice to state that NIMASA, NPA and the NN have expended huge sums of money in the clearing of wrecks in the waterways that resulted from abandoned vessels engaged in oil theft. The public is to note that MV CECELIA has not been operational and has been alongside for about 2 years.
“At the time of the arrest, the vessel was laden with about 250,000 litres of illicit AGO. So far 3 suspects have been arrested and have made useful statements while the alleged owners remained at large.
“Additionally, the vessel has no NNPCL or any other regulatory approval to serve as an AGO storage facility. This fact is clearly known to the NN and OPDS as all approved storage facilities are usually communicated to Naval Headquarters by relevant agencies for monitoring.
“It is important to note that the intelligence revealed that illegally refined products are received onboard MV CECELIA for storage. One of the suspects revealed that they usually bring illegally refined AGO in ‘Cotonou’ (large wooden) boats and Geepee tanks and offload into MV CECELIA pending when it will be sold to unsuspecting members of the public.
“It is unfortunate that this practice has been on without being detected until the recent re-invigorated intelligence-led operations by OPDS and the NN.
“The arrest of MV CECELIA is therefore a milestone achievement in the renewed drive to rid the Niger Delta of the illicit crime of oil theft. Accordingly, the NN and OPDS will not be hindered by the usual antics of the oil thieves.
“These sometimes include the owners claiming ignorance of the use of their vessels for illegalities. The NN and OPDS remain law abiding and will continue to carry out its statutory roles of fighting oil theft including destruction of platforms used to carry out the illegalities in line with extant Presidential directives.
“The general public should be informed that the NN and OPDS is on the look out to arrest the criminals who conduct these crimes and abandon their vessels.”