07 January 2016, Abuja – A shipowner, Twinstomp Energy Limited, has through its lawyer, Andrias & Co, petitioned the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, against the investigation into a ship collision handled by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
The petition, signed by Mr. Olumide Oyewole, was said to be brought against the Director-General of NIMASA, Mr. Haruna Jauro, and the Head, Maritime Safety, Mr. Vincent Udoye.
The collision, which involved two ships, MT Elixir and MT Tank, was said to have occurred in the early hours of October 19, 2015 along Bonga Terminal, offshore Warri, Delta State.
Oyewole said the way “they have handled the collision case leaves so much in doubt as to their competence and ability to supervise the agency.”
He said that MT Tank owned by Twinstomp Energy was sunk by MT Elixir, causing the loss of nine members out of 12 members of the crew.
Oyewole accused NIMASA of covering up for the foreign ships, which had, on a number of occasions, wasted Nigerian lives and ships when they came within Nigerian waters.
He said, “The issues are buried within NIMASA, without any regard to family members and shipowners’ pains. We are hoping that this incident will not go the way of the others.”
He alleged that after NIMASA had assisted the owners and crew members of the MT Elixir to escape from Nigeria, it also frustrated the Twinstomp Energy’s efforts to cause an investigation into the matter by the police and other security agencies.
He called on the minister to cause a thorough investigation to be conducted into the incident.
“Our clients are willing and ready whenever called upon to substantiate these allegations,” Oyewole said.
