The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Navy probing the disappearance of an oil bunkering ship, MT African Pride, has expressed reservations over the on-going court martial of some naval officers in connection with the missing vessel, suggesting that the trial was premature.
Three high-ranking offic-ers in the navy were said to have been arraigned before a military court in Lagos over their alleged involvement in the circumstances that led to the disappearance of MT African Pride.
The trial was coming in the wake of revelations made by the House panel, pointing accusing fingers at the navy in shady crude oil bunkering deals and the disappearance of the ship.
Briefing National Assembly correspondents in Abuja yesterday, chairman of the House Committee, Mr Tony Aziegbami, rejected the trial which he said was coming when the House was yet to conclude its probe.
He said, however, that the lower chamber would insist that its findings be taken into consideration and its recom-mendations implemented.
“We thought that the naval authorities would have soft-pedalled until we finish our work, so that we come to a conclusion at the same time. We wish to state that we do know the powers that we have and we will not allow anybody to erode these powers. If our findings are contradictory to the findings of the court martial of the navy, of course we will make sure that our findings be upheld,” he said.
Setting up the court at this time, according to Aziegbami, may fuel speculations that the navy was trying to paper over the rot within its rank and file.
“Some people are arguing that the navy is trying to sweep certain things under the carpet, that’s why they (the navy) hurried this court marital. But we do not think so,” he added.
The chairman also suggested that by setting up the court, the navy has admitted guilt in the missing ship saga, after initially claiming ignorance of the whole thing.
Aziegbami further said that the officers being tried could not be the only ones involved in the affair, adding that his committee will unravel the identities of others and insist that they be dealt with.
“We don’t think only these people court-marsh-alled know about the disap-pearance of MT African Pride. But our findings will emerge to be supreme to an-ything the navy will do within themselves,” he said.
Meanwhile, at yeste-rday’s plenary, Aziegbami submitted what he called an interim report of his committee’s probe into the missing ship. Contents of the report were, however, not made public.
