Navy parades 5 sea pirates, 13 others in Delta

Eighteen criminal suspects were, on Wednesday, paraded by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA) in Warri, Delta State.

The suspects were arrested for allegedly engaging in crude oil theft, sea piracy and impersonation of officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sleaze unsuspecting traders.

Paraded alongside the suspects were assorted bomb-making items, metal and electric tools for illegal oil bunkering and handsets, among others.

Commander, NNS DELTA, Commodore Joseph Dzunve, who paraded the suspects, said they were apprehended a few weeks ago at various parts of the creeks, including Opunama in Ughelli South of the state.

The naval boss also led journalists to the jetty of the naval base, where arrested three vessels and over 50 Cotonou boats laden with several litres of crude oil were anchored, awaiting evacuation by the DPR.

According to Commodore Dzunve, operatives from the base also arrested three vessels, destroyed four metal tanks, three fibre speed boats and several pumping machines used to perpetrate oil theft.

These, he said, were in line with the mandate handed by the Chief of Naval Staff and the Nigerian Navy to rid the waterways of criminality and illegalities.

Meanwhile, four of the five pirate suspects arrested, who spoke to journalists, accused one of them, Joseph Oba, of being the person manufacturing bombs and guns for hoodlums.

Commodore Dzunve, however, said the navy was still sustaining the fight against crude oil theft, security in the waterways and protection of oil and gas facilities in its area of responsibility.