Should Joshua Dariye return as Plateau State Governor after the end of emergency rule?
Missing Vessel: 'We Received N250,000 As Welfare'
By Abimbola Akosile and Oghenekevwe Laba, 11.16.2004
Two naval ratings yesterday testified that they received N250,000 as welfare package to off-load the crude oil in MT African Pride to another one on the night of October 31, 2003. Three top naval officers including Rear Admiral Anthonio Bob-Manuel, Deputy Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji, Rear Admiral Francis Agbiti, Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Navy and Rear Admiral Samuel Kolawole, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command are facing charges on the missing vessel. The vessel was seized over oil bunkering but suddenly disappeared with the oil. Disclosing this at the sixth sitting of the 7-man military court martial panel at the Officers' Mess of 81st Division, Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi in Lagos, Chief Petty Officer, Jonathan Ihejiawu and Naval Rating, Suleiman Atan said the "welfare" package was provided by the "Big Boys in the Navy" for their role in facilitating the off-loading of the crude oil from MT African Pride into another unnamed vessel on the night of October 31. The two prosecution witnesses, who gave evidence in two separate instances, informed the panel of how one Lt. Commander M. C. Abubakar was drafted from Rapid Response Squad (Navy) to take over command of incarcerated MT African Pride as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) from two others OICs, Lt. Commander Anekwe and Lt. Commander Edebor to coordinate movement and off-loading of the crude oil vessel and refilling with sea water. Backed by tendered and accepted statements, Ihejiawu and Atan, revealed how Abubakar had cajoled them on the influence of the "big boys" on the whole saga, threatening their lives upon any revelation of what transpired at that night. They claimed their rifles and ammunition were taken away from them by OIC Abubakar, who also allowed four civilians (3 blacks, 1 elderly white man) to board the vessel. The civilians were to play a key role in the navigation of the vessel to the high seas, a rendezvous with another vessel of same class, transfer of the crude oil cargo into the new vessel and re-filling MT African Pride's tanks with sea water to dispel any suspicion. Ihejiawu, corroborated by Atan, told the panel how a bag containing dollars was brought aboard the seized vessel by the four civilians, how they were quartered in cabins aboard the ship till sailing time in the night. The Chief Petty Officer claimed all attempts by him to verify authorisation from above on the transfer was rebuffed by Abubakar, who told him the "big boys" were in charge and had approached Bob-Manuel. "Around 1pm on November 1, 2003, OIC Abubakar came down and informed us: 'Gentlemen, we have some welfare from the big boys that sent me here. He did not mention the names of the big boys. He said he had N250,000 for us each as welfare (including OS Yakubu, Naval Rating). He had earlier changed the dollars into naira before coming to us," Ihejiawu stated. The prosecution witnesses were subjected to minor cross-examination geared at ensuring their complicity in an otherwise illegal operation and partaking in the ill-gotten proceeds. Matter had rested for one hour till 3pm following which Mr. B. A. Fashanu (SAN) had informed the panel of an application for stay of proceedings in the trial, filed on behalf of Rear Admiral Agbiti before a Federal High Court in Lagos. Panel President, Rear Admiral Joseph Ajayi, advised Fashanu to serve the application on the court-martial's convener (being Vice-Admiral Samuel Afolayan, Chief of Naval Staff himself), which the SAN claimed he had done. Ajayi told him the panel was yet to hear from Afolayan on the application. Press clippings of the whole saga from inspection of the missing vessel to its subsequent disappearance were later displayed in the court by Lt. Commander Wabi, Naval Public Relations Officer, an exercise which lasted for some hours before the matter was adjourned till today for continued examination of witnesses.
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