Nigerian Navy as part of a collaborative effort in tackling illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, NNS Delta on Monday, September 10, 2018 handed over nine suspects and a vessel, Merchant Barge Skye, allegedly involved in illegal oil bunkering to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The statement which was released by EFCC, stated that all the suspects Adaju Muzat, Itobe Rafiu, Ameh Fidelis, Joseph Obie, Ifeoluwa Jerome, Smart Bright, Daniel Beon, Okeoghene Mathew and Abubakar Julani are Nigerians.
The Nigerian Navy Commander of NNS Delta Commodore Ibrahim A. Dewu, at the handing over in Warri stated that the suspects were onboard the vessel, Merchant Barge Skye, when they were intercepted by men of NNS Zaria at Escravos River entrance on suspicion of conveying substance suspected to be crude oil without naval approval.
Upon their arrest by NNS Zaria, the vessel and crew members were handed over to men of NNS Delta for investigation. The captain of the vessel confessed that the vessel had 505MT of crude oil onboad at the time of arrest.
Nigerian Navy Hands Over Vessel, Nine Suspects to EFCC (via-IG/officialefcc)
Receiving the nine suspects and the Vessel on behalf of the Commission, Richard Ogberagha, a Principal Detective Superintendent, said the Commission would carry out further investigation and ensure that those found culpable were brought to book. .
This is just one out of many successes that the collaboration between Nigerian Navy and EFCC have recorded in recent past, as the two agencies fight to restore and block leakages in the economy.
Most of the illegal operations in the Niger Delta as regarding oil bunkering either through content diversion or false declaration and pipeline vandalism have all been majorly done by Nigerians and Nigerian vessels, and each time they have been caught and handed over to the EFCC for prosecution and further investigations.