Oil Theft: Navy Hands Over Vessel, Crew To EFCC

MV Gratitude, a bunkered vessel and its crew of six, intercepted on January 9, 2020 by officers of the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, were today January 22, 2020 handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Commodore Suleiman Ibrahim, while handing over the vessel and crew disclosed that that the ship laden with 1,000,000 liters of locally refined automotive gas oil and it crew of six Nigerians namely, Victor Ita (captain), Rotimi Poroye, Henry Edet Bassey, Rahpael Adewale, Godswill Iko and Jonah Achieve were arrested at the Brass inshore water anchorage. He assured of the navy’s determination to clear the waterways of illegal oil bunkering and sea pirates for legitimate business operators to thrive.

Tasiu Abubakar, a superintendent of police who received the vessel and crew members on behalf of the EFCC, promised diligent investigation of the alleged crime.