Navy apprehends 35 suspected vandals, seize 408 drums of illegally refined AGO

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area, has arrested 35 suspected vandals of petroleum pipelines and impounded 408 drums of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Akwa Ibom State.

The Commanding Officer, FOB, Navy Capt. Mohammed Abu, said this during the handover of the suspects and exhibits to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area.

Abu said the Nigeria Navy Ship ‘Thunder’ on November 26, 2021, while on routine patrol intercepted the suspects and arrested them and impounded three wooden boats used in conveying the AGO.

Abu said: “I will be handing over the suspects and exhibits of wooden boats that were intercepted by the NNS Thunder on the Nov. 26, at high sea having infracted economic policy of the country. 

“In line with the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Auwul Gambo, directives for zero tolerance of maritime crime of any nature, particularly crude oil theft and smuggling on our maritime domain.

“The Chief of the Naval Staff has given a clear directive to Nigerian Navy to free the waterways of illegalities and other maritime crimes.

“So, having said this, we have three wooden boats which were conveying 408 drums of AGO and 40 drums of PMS mixed with oil, 906 empty drums and 35 male suspects are here before you.

“I am handing them over to you, as the Prosecuting Agency to carry out further investigation and prosecute them accordingly and revert back to the Nigerian Navy on the outcome.”

The commanding officer noted that the arrest of the suspected vandals has sent messages to them that the Nigerian Navy would not relent in ensuring all economic sabotage in the Nigerian maritime environment will not be tolerated.

“This arrest is to send a message to those vandals of our crude oil pipelines that the CNS has zero-tolerance for crude oil theft and our ships are out there looking for them and we will arrest them until they are out of our maritime domain,” he said.

He appealed to smugglers and vandals of petroleum products to stay out of the business, as the base would not relent in its continuous patrol to sustain the directive of the CNS and rid criminal elements out of Nigeria waterways.

The commanding officer debunked the recent media publications that economic activities have been grounded in Ibaka by sea robbers. 

He said fishermen have been going about their daily businesses within Nigeria waterways without molestation. He, however, said that if there was any attack on fishermen, it was done outside Nigeria waterways.

“The attack on fishermen is not in Nigerian maritime waters, but they were attacked at Abana which is outside our maritime boundary. Several times, I have engaged the fishermen in the base here and advised them not to go out to Cameroon to fish. 

“The other aspect is that the fishermen don’t only go there to fish, they go there at night. And sea robbers take the advantage of the night to attack them.

“I want to clearly state here that since my assumption of duty as the Commanding Officer of FOB Ibaka, I assumed duty when the fishermen were no longer going out for fishing for six weeks and that was what informed their protest. I have to strategise and give them a green flag that I was going to support them and ensure that they are not going to be attacked.

“I deployed our boats and identified the creeks where they are operating within Mbo waterways. As I speak to you, I have three of our boats that have choked them up in creeks within the waterways at Unyenge, Okposo and Ikang.

“So, this does not give these robbers within our maritime domain freedom of action to operate. As you can physically see the fishermen are back from the sea after their fishing expedition,” he said.

Our correspondent reports that the Head of Anti Vandals, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Akwa Ibom Command, Assistant Commandant of Corps, Adamu Jafaaru, received the suspects and the exhibits on behalf of the NSCDC.

Jafaaru said the agency would carry out a thorough investigation on the suspects and all those culpable would be arraigned soon.

He warned vandals to desist from sabotaging the economy of the nation, stressing that the NSCDC would not relent in their mandate of protecting government critical infrastructure.

“I want to assure you all that as the Nigerian Navy handed over the suspects and exhibits to us as the Prosecuting Agency. We will conduct a thorough investigation and ensure diligent prosecution of those involved in this economic sabotage of the nation.

“The Federal Government is always against vandalism of pipelines and critical infrastructure, as an agency, we will do everything possible to protect government critical infrastructure. In this case, we will ensure justice is done accordingly,” Jafaaru said.

He commended the Nigerian Navy for their resilience and doggedness to ensure safety across the Nigerian maritime environment.