Mkpoikana Udoma
10 March 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — The Nigerian Navy has handed over for prosecution 16 Ukrainians arrested on board a ship MT San Padre Pio, with 5000 metric tonnes of Automated Gasoline Oil, AGO to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The Navy explained that the Ukrainian crew and the vessel were arrested in January for operating illegally in the Nigerian territorial waters, without Cabotage clearance from the Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration Agency, NIMASA.
Speaking, the Naval Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Bonny, Navy Capt. Suleiman Olorundare, while handing over the suspect to EFCC, on board the vessel, the Navy was winning the war against illegal oil bunkering activities within the Nigerian waterways.
Olorundare said in line with the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, the Navy will not rest until every form of crimes and criminality was eradicated on the Nigerian territorial waters.
According to him, “On the 23rd of January 2018, MT San Padre Pio was arrested offshore by our operatives around Odudu oil field within our territorial water.
“It was engaged in illegal trade that contravenes our national law, particularly the Cabotoage law.
“We discovered the vessel carried 5000mteric tonnes of product suspected to be Automated Gasoline Oil, with 16 crews on board, all Ukrainians.”
Asked why the Navy had to wait till March to handover the suspects who were arrested since January, Navy Captain Olorundare said, “There is a procedure that needs to be followed, and it is a standard operating procedures in respect of arrest, detention and handing over for prosecution of crimes like this.
“The Chief of Naval Staff has given us the mandate to maintain zero tolerance for criminal activities within our maritime envrionment and that mandate we are determine to implement it with the later.”
Receiving the handover notes of the suspects from the Navy, the Senior Detective Inspector of EFCC, Mr. Aminu Ismail, said more investigation will be carried out by the agency.
Ismail who took over the vessel and 16 Ukrainians for prosecution, said EFCC will write the Embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria to alert them of their citizens in its custody, arrested for carrying out illegal bunkering in Nigeria.
“We will confirm the authencity of the products laden in the vessel, after which we will continue with our investigation and if they(suspects) are found wanting, they will be handed over for prosecution according to the Nigerian law.”
However, the Captain of the vessel, Mr. Andriy Vaskov, told newsmen on board the ship that his company ABC Marine was in the business of offshore supply of petroleum products.
Vaskov stated that the impounded diesel was lifted from Lome in the Republic of Togo, and was only in Nigeria for discharge, adding that they had Naval clearance to come into the Nigerian waters.