Should the NLC embark on another strike to protest the fuel price hike?
One Security Personnel in Missing Vessel- Witness
By Oghenekevwe Laba, 11.11.2004
A prosecution witness, Lt Adekunle Oladipo of the Directorate of Naval Intelligent Annex Lagos, yesterday confirmed that as at when the illegal bunkering vessel, MT African Pride got missing there was only one Naval security personnel on board the vessel. Oladipo made this confirmation while being cross examined by Rear Admiral Lanre Amusa (RTD) defence counsel of Rear Admiral Samuel Kolawole, one of the accused in the on-going court martial on the disappearance of an illegal bunkering vessel, MT African pride on 10th August, 2004. Reacting to report of bias reporting by journalist covering the proceedings, by the senior prosecuting counsel, Brigadier-General Idada Ikpowen, President of the court, Rear Admiral Joseph Ajayi threatened to ban journalist who are not objective in their writing, from reporting proceedings in the floor of the court, if they were found not being objective in their reporting. Responding to questions from Amusa about the numbers of security personnel attached to MT African Pride, Oladipo said they were Naval Officers and some Naval ratings adding that it was the responsibility of the Commanding Officer of NNS Beecroft to provide security. Responding to further question from Amusa on how many ratings were on board two days to the disappearance of the ship, Ladipo said there was one rating in both second and last day to the disappearance of the ship. Responding to questions from Amusa that there were no security in the vessel as the remaining rating left the ship for medical attention, Ladipo said he was not aware. Giving an evidence during an examination from the prosecuting counsel, Ladipo said'' When I resumed duty as the Base Intelligent Officer I was not giving any list rather I was shown some ships and MT African Pride was not among the ships because it was out side the bar. I later went on sea with Lt Koiyan to observe MT African Pride. ''With the visit of the Officials of the Russian Embassy to the Vessel, I became suspicious and as such told my Commanding Officer, that we should move the ship from his present location. I equally raised the suggestion in the OPS meeting where the FOC Admiral Kolawole presided''. He said Kolawole did not react when he raise security alert about the location of MT African Pride adding that he only reacted when the ship was declared missing by rebuking them about their non-chalant attitude on security towards MT African Pride. Before the commencement of the hearing yesterday, Brigadier Idada Ikpowen said he was not impressed about media reports on the on-going proceedings of the court adding that some of the medias (Not THISDAY) were not objective in their reporting. He threatened that if the media continue with their bias reporting, he will be forced to raise a motion in the floor of the court that they should be ban from attending the proceedings. Responding, the President of the court Rear Admiral Joseph Ajayi advised journalist to report events in the court by giving adequate coverage to discussion from both the prosecution and the defence. He threatened that if they refused to be objective in their reporting, he will not hesitate to ban erring journalist from not reporting the proceedings in the court.
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