Oil theft: Navy arrests vessel with 17 crew members

The officers of the Nigerian Navy have apprehended a 77-meter-long Motor Tanker (MT) Vinnalaris 1 Lagos involved in crude oil theft in Awoye riverine community in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, on Thursday.

Ayo-Vaughan stated that the vessel was arrested by the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Thursday, December 8, 2023.

Ayo-Vaughan said the vessel, which had 17 crew members onboard at the time of the arrest, was caught engaging in illegal siphoning of crude oil from one of the well heads at Ebesan oil field about 7 nautical miles off the coast of Awoye community.

He said the arrest of the vessel followed credible intelligence received by the Base on the illegal activities of crude oil thieves at the location, which informed the swift deployment of FOB Igbokoda personnel to nab the vessel and her crew.

The navy spokesperson stated: “Notably, as the anti-crude oil theft patrol team of FOB Igbokoda approached MT Vinnalaris 1 Lagos, the 2 x boats attached to the vessel fled on sighting the naval personnel, which confirmed the engagement of the vessel in illegality.

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“Accordingly, on arrival at the scene, it was discovered that the vessel was actively involved in siphoning crude oil from both sides of the wellhead.

“Consequently, upon further search and interrogation, it was further discovered that the vessel had onboard 17 crew members of Nigerian nationality.”

Ayo-Vaughan said the vessel had storage capacity of about 15,000 metric tonnes, adding that it loaded about 500 metric tonnes of crude oil as of the time of the arrest.

He noted that the arrest of the vessel attests to the Nigerian Navy’s determination to curb crude oil theft and all manners of illegalities in Nigeria’s maritime domain.

He stressed that the Nigerian Navy would use all legitimate means at its disposal to track and arrest perpetrators of illegalities in Nigeria’s maritime environment.

Ayo-Vaughan also solicited the cooperation of Nigerians to promptly report any form of criminality, especially in the coastal communities to the navy for necessary action.

He added: “It is believed that Tantita Security Service (TSS) is involved in these illegalities because Awoye riverine area which is close to the place of arrest is covered by TSS.

“Again, it was upon the arrest of the vessel by the Nigerian Navy that TSS began to raise false alarm, totally unfounded and indeed mischievous.

“Nonetheless, the Nigerian navy remains resolute in the pursuit of her constitutional mandate for the protection of Nigeria’s Maritime Environment for national economic development and prosperity.”

The Star