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We Registered Only One MT African Pride - NMA
By Abimbola Akosile and Oghenekevwe Laba, 12.13.2004
National Maritime Authority (NMA) has informed a courtmartial panel sitting over an ongoing trial of three top Admirals in Nigerian Navy that it registered only one vessel under the name MT African Pride. The authority revealed that the ship it registered has since been released from arrest. Also, Deputy Chief Registrar of Federal High Court, Lagos, Mrs. Rosemary Oghoghorie, was disallowed from giving evidence in the ongoing trial on the grounds that she knew nothing about the missing vessel. The officers on trial for alleged involvement in the disappearance of an oil bunkering vessel are Rear Admiral Anthonio Bob-Manuel, Deputy Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Rear Admiral Francis Agbiti, Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Navy and Rear Admiral Samuel Kolawole, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command. NMA’s Registrar of Ships, Miss Glory Uvere, while testifying before the panel as a defence witness to Kolawole, said the vessel named MT African Pride is a motor tanker (which can carry liquid cargo) registered on April 5, 1995 to its owners, International Maritime Cargo Services (based in Victoria Island, Lagos). Vessel’s official number was given as 376758 and its call sign as 5NYC. Uvere, in response to examination by Mr. Lekan Shofolahan, one of Kolawole’s senior counsel and cross-examination by Anushiem, revealed that a vessel charterer, Ocean Handlers Limited wrote a letter to NMA sometime in May this year, asking the authority to confirm to Nigerian Navy the status and relevant details of MT African Pride. This issue, according to her, arose in the vessel owner’s bid to clear alleged rising confusion caused by another vessel said to be bearing the same name, which was then under Navy arrest. She claimed this was done and NMA wrote to Navy, specifically Western Naval Command as dictated by Ocean Handlers and also revealed that a vessel named MT African Pride had requested permission from NNS Pathfinder to berth at the Okrika jetty in Rivers State on April 30 this year. Admitting she did not visit or see the ship before registration, (which is not normally expected of her, but consultant surveyors), Uvere disclosed that the vessel’s owners later called her to say their vessel has been released, though she could not tell court the current location of MT African Pride or on whose orders the vessel was released.
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