ABUJA — THE original ship with the name, "MT African Pride" that was licensed by the National Maritime Authority for ship haulage business in Nigeria is intact in the country just as it emerged yesterday that the African Pride involved in bunkering that is now missing is fake and belongs to a top politician (names with-held).
This revelation came even as the Nigerian Navy disclosed that no officer was arrested over the missing ship particularly when a Board of Inquiry set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the ship was yet to submit its findings.
Security sources told Vanguard in Abuja that moves to secure the release of the ship actually started about seven months ago when the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Samuel Afolayan himself, was approached by a retired Brig-General fronting for the owner of the ship with a bribe proposal of US $5million which the CNS refused and promptly informed the Commander-in-Chief, President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to the source, the ship that disappeared had the name African Pride imposed on the body to deceive the authorities of the Navy and the maritime regulation bodies that it was doing genuine business. But as soon as it gets out of the country, it changed its name making it difficult for security agencies like INTERPOL and the various countries it passes through to know it is the African Pride that disappeared from Nigeria.
Continuing, the source said, when the ship was arrested in 2003 by the warships NNS KYANWA, NNS OLOGBO and NNS NWAMBA in the Niger-Delta area between Warri in Delta State and Bayelsa State, the ship was immediately transferred to Lagos under the custody of the then FOC West, Rear-Admiral Antonio Bob-Manuel.
Bob-Manuel was allegedly approached with a hefty sum of money to influence the release of the ship which he refused and informed his boss, the CNS. The CNS also informed Mr. President. It is against the background and the continuous reports reaching Mr. President on attempts to influence the release of the ship that he was prompted to direct the Navy to release the ship to the Police, which was done.
On the reported arrest of some Naval officers, Director of Naval information, Navy Capt. Senebi Hungiapuko told Vanguard that there is no way officers would be arrested when an inquiry into the matter is still going on.
