Seven suspected oil thieves and two vessels — MT Cergen D and MT Rheinfelden — have been apprehended and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, officers of the Central Command of the Nigeria Navy in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, turned them in on May 28, 2014, for further investigation and prosecution.
“The vessels were arrested at different times. A team of naval officers led by Commodore Bamidupe Babagbale discovered that the first vessel’s name, MT Maria Brossum, was altered to MT Cergen D,” he said.
“It was arrested on March 18, 2014 at Fish Town loaded with 2, 356, 000 liters of cargo suspected to be stolen crude oil and six crew members: Dauda Usman, Adelaja David, Alowakenu Matthew, Edelman Bayo, Ogja Aghedo, Adedara Tope.”
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Uwujaren revealed that at the time of the arrest, the crew members had no approval to lift crude oil.
“The second vessel, MT Rheinfelden was arrested on April 19, 2014 around Akassa carrying 849, 612 tons of illegally refined automotive gas oil, AGO. Aboard the vessel was one Salami Kazeem (Chief Officer),” he said.
The suspects and the vessels were received on behalf of the EFCC by a Senior Detective Superintendent.
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