The Nigerian Navy Friday handed over a Motor Tanker, MT WOLOF and its seven crew members to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged Automated Gas Oil (AGO) theft.
The vessel, according to the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Maurice Eno, was intercepted on June 30, around the Lagos Safe Anchorage Area (LSAA).
He said: “At the time of the arrest, MT WOLOF was loaded with about 300 metric tons of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO and had seven crew members onboard.
Investigation revealed that the vessel had no document to support the product it was carrying.”
Eno said that the sample of the product onboard the vessel was taken for laboratory test which the result indicated that the product did not meet the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) specification.
He said: “The result also did not meet the Standard Organization of Nigeria’s (SON) specification.
“In view of this, the EFCC has to take charge for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“The Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas has zero tolerance for illegalities in our waters. The Navy therefore reiterates its drive to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime domain from criminal elements.
“I advise defaulters to desist from such acts or face the wrath of the law. I also urge citizens to give useful information with regards to persons engaged in illegal act to the navy or other security agencies.”