OPERATION DELTA SANITY: Nigerian Navy Arrests Motor Tanker With 13 Crew For Crude Oil Theft

The Nigerian Navy (NN) through its newly launched Operation OPERATION DELTA SANITY has arrested syndicate of 13 crew members, One Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians on board a Ghanaian owned/ registered vessel known as Motor Tanker (MT) SWEET MIRI. 

The arrest of the economic saboteurs was made at 

about 174 nm, approximately 320km off Nigeria's coast heading towards Benin Republic, after the vessel was observed to have switched off her Automatic Identification System (AIS) in a bid to evade detection.  

A statement by the Director of Information Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral  AO Ayo-Vaughan said the infraction by the vessel contravene the International Ships and Port Security Code (ISPS) and was tagged a “Vessel of Interest” (VoI) by the Nigerian Navy. 

The statement said the Nigerian Navy Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure observed the criminal intent of the vessel and subsequently vectored 2 NN ships on patrol to interrogate the vessel. 

It was discovered that MT SWEET MIRI was involved in illegalities and the vessel was subsequently arrested. According to the Navy, the suspicious disposition of the vessel necessitated the swift deployment of Nigerian Navy Ship ABA and Nigerian Navy Ship SOKOTO to intercept the vessel. 

Upon arrest, MT SWEET MIRI was found carrying about 2 million litres of product suspected to be crude oil without any form of approval from relevant authorities.

In line with the directive of Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, for an in-depth and independent investigation, relevant approving/prosecuting agencies have been notified for samples collection and in order to further ascertain the culpability or otherwise of the vessel. 

This the Navy said becomes necessary in order to unmask the enemies of the Nation and to institute holistic and detailed investigations. 

It assured the public that the NN through the reinvigorated Operation DELTA SANITY will continue to collaborate with relevant maritime, security and law enforcement agencies in order to closely monitor, evaluate and interdict where infractions are suspected so as to bring economic saboteurs to book in line with relevant extant laws of the land.