Missing Vessel: Navy Arrests 8
From George Oji in Abuja
Naval authorities have arrested and detained about eight officers in Apapa, Lagos, over their alleged complicity in the disappearance of the detained illegal bunkering ship, Motor Tanker (M. T.) African Pride.
Naval sources told THISDAY at the weekend that the officers were picked up last Monday and have been in detention since then.
The source named some of those being detained to include the Commanding Officer of NNS BEECROFT, Navy Captain George Alily, Commander Jatatu, Lt. Commander Kabir and Lt. Commander Abubakar.
The case of the missing vessel is currently under investigation by the Naval authorities and House of Representatives Committee on Navy.
The investigation by the navy is being conducted by a Board of Inquiry (BOI) headed by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Admiral Sampson Usman Okee.
Other members of the BOI are Commodore E. U. Ekwere, Navy Captain H. O. Ngonadi, Navy Captain Medani, Navy Captain Manuyibeja and Navy Captain Usman.
M. T. African Pride was arrested on October 8, 2003 by NNS NWANBA while on routine patrol of the nation's waters and handed over to NNS BEECROFT the next day.
There have been startling revelations at the House of Representatives committee hearing the case of the missing vessel. While testifying before the House, Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Samuel Sunday Afolayan urged the lawmakers to hold the police responsible for the disappearance of the vessel, alleging that the custody of the vessel at the time of disappearance had reverted to the Nigeria police. He said the directive to hand over the vessel to the police came from the presidency.
However, when the Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun appeared before the House, he denied that any of the arrested vessels was ever in police custody. He challenged Afolayan to tender proof of police take-over of the vessels as he noted that a transaction of that magnitude could not be done without proper documentation.
Also, the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Col. Kayode Areh who testified before the House also pointed accusing fingers on the navy over the matter.
As the investigations progressed, further revelations were made by some naval Chiefs. For instance, the Naval Commodore in charge of Signals, Sunday Baje said his Chief of Operations, Rear Admiral Francis Agbiti lied under oath when he told the House Committee that he did not originate the signal reversing the presidential order that the ship should be handed over to the police for prosecution.
While Agbiti continued to maintain his innocence over the matter, Baje said all the signals were actually sent from the Navy at the express directive of Agbiti.
Also while testifying before the House Committee on the missing ship, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso disclosed that he actually wrote to the navy to release one of the 17 suspects held in connection with the seized vessels. The minister said he wrote the letter after proper consultation with the presidency and on receipt of letters to that effect from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Russian embassy.
In the course of the investigation, it was revealed that not only M.T. African Pride was missing from the custody of the navy. Another seized bunkering vessel, M.T. Jimoh, was found to be missing.
However, M.T. Jimoh, was later discovered at Dutch Island close to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by men of the Eastern Naval Command on Tuesday.
The ship when found had been renamed M.T. Lort.
According to the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye, the ship was recovered by naval officers patrolling the water ways at Dutch Island close to Okrika. Three crewmen have been arrested and are undergoing interrogation.
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