Navy arrests ship with 600,000 litres of stolen diesel

The Central Naval Command, (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Saturday, said it seized a vessel laden with 600,000 litres of suspected illegally refined automotive gas oil also known as diesel.

This was contained in a statement issued by Lieutenant-Commander Edward Yeibo on behalf of the command’s Flag Officer Commanding (FOC).

Yeibo said that two of the four suspected oil thieves were arrested loading the barge with diesel.

He quoted the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, Commodore Habib Usman, as saying that a barge and five wooden boats laden with about 600,000 metric tonnes suspected to be illegally refined Automated Gas Oil and two suspects were arrested.

Usman said the suspects were arrested by the Nigerian Navy Ship around Beama community in Nembe Local Government Area in the waterways within Bayelsa State.

The wooden boats were suspected to be used to convey the illegally refined Automated Gas Oil from the refining points to the barge for loading.

“As of the time of the arrest, one of the boats had finished trans-loading its product into the barge.

“Consequently, the personnel of Forward Operating Base FORMOSO with gunboats and tug boat towed the barge to its jetty for further investigation.

“However, the wooden boats were destroyed, the two suspects are in custody for preliminary investigation and prosecution,” Yeibo was quoted in the statement.