The Nigerian Navy has turned over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission a vessel carrying an unknown amount of diesel and five suspected Oil thieves.
On Tuesday, Mr. Inainfe Young-Inainfe, an Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC from the Uyo zone, received the ship and the suspects from the Base Operation Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, Lt. Commander Clement Ayogu.
Four Nigerians and a Venezuelan national, according to the Navy, make up the suspects.
According to Ayogu, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu, the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, gave the order for the handover, which was carried out on behalf of the NNSV Commander, Commodore Ifeanyi Okpala.
The Navy launched “Operation Dakatar Da Barawo” to combat unlawful bunkering and crude oil theft, he said, and that is why the arrest was made.
Dewu claimed that on July 20, 2022, members from the NNSV who were on patrol in the Calabar waterway detained the accused and the boat called “Edidion AJ.”
He stated, “At the time of the arrest, the vessel carried a Venezuelan national and four crew members from Nigeria.
“The vessel was carrying an unspecified quantity of petroleum product suspected to be illegally refined diesel.
“We have established the fact that the vessel and her crew are complicit in the crime of economic sabotage.
“As a result of that, we are here to hand over the vessel and her crew to EFCC for onward investigation and prosecution.”
Dewu urged the general populace to refrain from all criminal activity.
He warned that the Navy and other security organisations will punish anyone involved in crimes.
Young-Inainfe responded after receiving the boat and the suspects and praised the navy for making the arrest.
He claimed that the collaboration between the commission and the Navy had produced significant successes in the battle against economic crime in the nation.
“We are taking over the vessel and the crew members; we can assure you that proper investigation would be carried out on the suspects, and justice would be done,” he said.
