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Navy slams NNPC for retaining
oil in arrested ships
By Uwakwe
Abugu (Warri)
and Ben
Duru (Owerri)
More than
one year after three ships were arrested for theft of petroleum products
on the Delta waterways, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
has failed to evacuate the contents of the ships now in the custody of NNS
Delta, Navy Base, Warri.
The vessels
include �MT Zoogu�, arrested on the Escravos on July 17, 2003 and bearing
Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO), known as black oil, and �MT Glory�, arrested on
April 23, 2003.
NNS Delta
Commanding Officer, Capt. Jacob Ajani, briefed journalists on the
developments at the weekend in Warri, in company of Naval Director of
Information Capt. Senebi Hungiapuko.
His words:
"The NNPC is yet to evacuate the contents of the offending ships, hence
they are still in our custody. Why the NNPC has not complied? I think the
question is better addressed to the NNPC. We have written them, I have
personally written.
"The only
response I got from them is to the effect that the vessel they want to use
to evacuate is so big and has a large, what you call draught and, so, if
she had come here where the ships are kept, she would go aground. But
honestly, there should be a way round it, they could use a smaller
one�.
Ajani did
not disclose the quantity of the oil held up in the ships, saying NNPC
officials are still being awaited to determine the amount.
�MT Zoogu�
is loaded with crude oil stolen from an unknown location, two other
vessels also arrested are laden with LPFO or black oil. Meanwhile, four
patrol crafts refurbished by the Navy to boost the battle against criminal
acts in the Niger Delta have been displayed in Warri.
They will
be formally launched soon, according to Ajani, who said "we are confronted
with both the handling of the crisis on one hand and patrols agaisnt
illegality in our waterways. We are also constrained by the platforms in
our inventory in terms of number and the right mix�.
In Imo
State, vandals who punctured a hole in one of the oil pipelines in Assa
were at the weekend apprehended by policemen.
Though 26
of them escaped, detectives arrested four and whisked the men to the state
police headquarters along with the two tankers and other implements used
for the illegal business.
Briefing
journalists in Owerri, Police Commissioner Hezekiah Dimka said his
officers sent an urgent message from Assa that some criminals were
scooping oil from one of the pipelines, corroborating an earlier
information received from the community about the presence of some unknown
persons who entered the area with tankers.
According
to Dimka, the men were found scooping crude from one of the pipelines
connected to Port Harcourt.
Detectives
were dispatched to the scene, and on sighting them, most of the criminals
took to their heels, leaving behind some of their accomplices as well as
the tankers and the equipment used for scooping oil.
�Two
tankers with registration number XA 146 MKA as well as XA 250 ANK were
already filled with crude oil and the criminals were about to drive away
with them when they were caught�.
Dimka added
that a Honda Accord car, with registration number EA 291 BUR, with two
identity cards in it belong to the vandals, was recovered along with a bag
containing documents.
He lamented
that despite the devastating effect pipeline vandalisation has had on the
citizens as well as the strict order against it issued by the government,
people have not refrained from the act.
He praised
the people of the community for promptly informing the police on the
presence of the vandals and pledged that they would always respond to
distress calls.
In another
case, officers of NNS Pathfinder, one the Navy's operational bases in the
Eastern Command, arrested five vessels and 30 illegal oil bunkerers
between April 2003 and September this year.
The vessels
were arrested following a clamp down on smuggling, said Commander Goody
Ohuabunwa, the officer in charge of NNS Pathfinder.
Oluabunwa
told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the base also arrested four
self-propelled barges and 34 ordinary barges during the period.
Said he:
``The command, which has been under pressure, covers areas which stretch
from Bonny in Rivers to Brass in Bayelsa and 1,200 square nautical miles
of the Exclusive Economic Zone in the sea, with 3,000 adjoining creeks and
river lets.
``We are
saddled with the task of checking both internal and external security
threats, arising from smuggling, piracy, pipeline vandalism, crude oil
theft, communal clashes and attacks on oil installations�.
The
surveillance has drastically reduced the diversion of both refined and
crude oil products in the zone, he stated.
``Other
arrests made by the base included two tug boats, �MT Progress� and �MT
Helena�, which were not self-propelled. The 30 suspects arrested have been
handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)�.
Other
vessels arrested are �MT Evivina�, �MT France�, �MT Yenuche�, �MT Rafaji�
and �MT Beauty�. Self-propelled in custody include �MT Poweller�, �MT
Vadam�, �MT Jimo� alias �MT Eliort� and �MT Beauty�.
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