The Arrested Motor Tanker Praisel Was Not On Illegal Operation-----NN ...Clarifies The Arrest Of Motor Tanker Praisel On Allegation Of Crude Oil Theft
The Nigerian Navy (NN), on Friday, described the media reports regarding the purported arrest of Motor Tanker (MT) PRAISEL by a private security outfit, Tantita Security Service Limited (TSSL), from suspected illegal oil Bunkering and escorted by the operatives of the NN, as false news and misrepresentation of facts.
The Nigerian Navy (NN), on Friday, described the media reports regarding the purported arrest of Motor Tanker (MT) PRAISEL by a private security outfit, Tantita Security Service Limited (TSSL), from suspected illegal oil Bunkering and escorted by the operatives of the NN, as false news and misrepresentation of facts.
The Director of Information, NN, Abuja, Commodore, AO Ayo-Vaughan, in a statement on Friday, said the purported arrest on the allegetion that the vessel was escorted by a Nigerian Navy (NN) boat and that TSSL’s operation had the backing of the National Security Adviser and Chief of the Naval Staff was not true.
But Ayo-Vaughan in his statement said it's necessary to clear the air on the false reports to avoid the misrepresentation of facts by unsuspecting members of the public as portrayed by the reports, stressing that MT PRAISEL, was not on illegal operation.
He explained that MT PRAISEL was duly approved by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to load 1,114,721 Litres of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from 26 July – 8 August 2023.
According to him, the position was substantiated by NMDPRA, adding that in line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and to ensure strict compliance with the NMDPRA's approval, that NN personnel were deployed onboard to monitor the discharge of the product by MT PRAISEL at a facility at Bonny.
He, however, stated that on 2 August 2023, TSSL, while claiming to act on intelligence alleged that the vessel was laden with stolen crude oil and thereafter approached an element of
Operation DELTA SAFE to board the vessel in order to verify the alleged stolen
product.
According to Ayo-Vaughan, the NN directed the vessel to Forward Operating Base
ESCRAVOS anchorage for further investigation of the product onboard.
He added that the samples of the products onboard MT PRAISEL were collected on Thursday, August 3, 2023 by five agencies including NNPCL, NMDPRA and also TSSL in line with laid procedures
for laboratory test and verification of the claim.
The Director of Information said, NN, as the lead agency in the fight against maritime crimes, had always been at the vanguard of supporting every single effort to halt economic saboteurs of our country.
He added that even though it was desirable for all hands to be on deck in the fight against crude oil theft, that necessary precaution must be adhered to by all stakeholders to avoid unnecessary
impediment to legitimate commercial activities and businesses in the maritime
environment that have far reaching consequences for the nation’s economy.
According to him, the NN appealed to the general public to wait the laboratory test result of the product
and in-depth investigations on allegation before peddling false information.
He assured the public that the NN under the able leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla was poised to ensuring transparency and renewed effort towards interagency cooperation and synergy
in the fight against illegalities and criminality in Nigeria’s Maritime Environment
particularly oil theft.
The full statement reads:
The attention of the Naval Headquarters has been drawn to publications and news
reports in the media on the arrest of Motor Tanker (MT) PRAISEL by a private security
outfit, Tantita Security Service Limited (TSSL) for suspected illegal oil Bunkering.
The publication further alleged that the vessel was escorted by a Nigerian Navy (NN)
boat and it averred that TSSL’s operation had the backing of the National Security
Adviser and Chief of the Naval Staff.
To put the record straight and avoid the misrepresentation of facts to unsuspecting members of the public as portrayed, MT PRAISEL was duly approved by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to load 1,114,721 Litres of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy
Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from 26 July – 8 August 2023.
This has been substantiated by NMDPRA. In line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and to ensure strict compliance with the NMDPRA approval, NN personnel were deployed onboard to
monitor the discharge of the product by MT PRAISEL at a facility at Bonny.
However, on 2 August 2023, TSSL claiming to act on intelligence alleged that the
vessel was laden with stolen crude oil and thereafter approached an element of
Operation DELTA SAFE to board the vessel in order to verify the alleged stolen product.
Accordingly, the NN directed the vessel to Forward Operating Base
ESCRAVOS anchorage for further investigation of the product onboard. The samples
of the product onboard MT PRAISEL were collected on Thursday 3 August 2023
by 5 agencies including NNPCL, NMDPRA and also TSSL in line with laid procedures
for laboratory test and verification of the claim.
As the lead agency in the fight against maritime crimes, the NN has always been at the
vanguard of supporting every single effort to halt economic saboteurs of our country.
Therefore, while it is desirable for all hands to be on deck in the fight against crude oil
theft, necessary precaution must be adhered to by all stakeholders to avoid unnecessary
impediment to legitimate commercial activities and businesses in the maritime
environment that have far reaching consequences for the nation’s economy.
The NN therefore appeals to the general public to await the laboratory test result of the product
and in-depth investigations on allegation.
The NN under the able leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla is poised to
ensure transparency and renewed effort towards interagency cooperation and synergy
in the fight against illegalities and criminality in Nigeria’s Maritime Environment particularly oil theft.
AO AYO-VAUGHAN
Commodore
Director of Information
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