Men of Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Soroh said it they have seized a vessel used for oil theft and arrested 22 suspects in Akassa, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The Commander of NNS Soroh, Commodore Patrick Effah who spoke on behalf of Officers of the Navy said this while briefing newsmen in Brass on the fringe of the Atlantic ocean. The suspects, all Nigerians, were onboard the seized vessel. He said “We are here today on the occasion of the arrest of MT TIS IV by NNS SOROH at Akassa on 6 December 2021. The vessel with its crew was arrested for its indulgence in crude oil theft within the Akassa River. “Following the arrest, the vessel was found to be carrying about 700,000 litres which is about 603 metric tons or 4,402 barrels of illegally sourced crude oil worth about $315,500 (N148,281,000) without the requisite approval for such cargo.
“I must add that the Navy went further to identify the source of the stolen crude and was led to the spot where about 4 dug out pits containing unspecified quantity of crude oil was discovered which is much more than what was found on the vessel. The discovered storage pit has been reported to relevant oil and gas company for evacuation. The arrest is one of the numerous successes recorded by the Nigerian Navy in its ongoing Operation QUITE WATERS aimed at dominating the Nigeria’s Maritime Environment towards creating deterrence in order to create a secure maritime environment for economic activities to strive.” Continuing, Commodore Effah said “in line with the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Strategic Directives 2021 – 05 which directed Naval Bases to curb all forms of maritime crimes within the nation’s waters, NNS SOROH has been relentless in identifying and arresting perpetrators of crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other maritime crimes.
“It is noteworthy that the Nigerian Navy remains unwavering in its drive to rid Nigeria’s Maritime Environment of all forms of criminalities. This drive can be justified by the recently commissioned vessels by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and as I speak, some of the newly commissioned naval vessels and other vessels are at sea patrolling the nation’s exclusive economic zone. The Chief of the Naval Staff is currently at sea for Exercise QUITE WATERS and I must add that the arrest of MT TIS IV is one of a series of arrest recently made by the Nigerian Navy. Accordingly, let me seize this opportunity to warn miscreants and intending economic saboteurs to desist from acts of criminality as they have no hiding place and will be caught. The Maritime Domain Awareness facilities of the Nigerian Navy is well equipped to detect and flag vessels engaged in all forms of maritime crimes within Nigerian waters and beyond. While warning criminals, I want to also thank other security agencies and stakeholders more especially the Chief of Defence Staff through Operation Delta Safe and the Chief of the Naval Staff for the support given to the Base to enhance her operations. Let me reiterate that the Nigerian Navy remains unwavering in its drive to curb all forms of criminalities within Nigeria’s Maritime Environment.”
