The Navy says it has nabbed 10 suspected oil thieves onboard MT TECNE Vessel in Delta State.
The Commander of NNS Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, spoke yesterday while parading the suspects at Focados River, Burutu Local Government.
They are one Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanaians, an Indonésian, a Béninois and two Ukrainians.
Dewu said the suspects were caught on Tuesday while siphoning crude into a vessel from Afremo A Platform, a loading jacket belonging to Shell Petroleum and Development Company (SPDC) at Forcados River.
He said they had siphoned about 2,000 metric tonnes of crude from the loading jacket before they were caught.
The commander said the feat was the outcome of “Operation Delta Safe”, “Operation River Sweep Two” and Operation Tsare Teku” mandates of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).
He said the Navy would check illegalities in the maritime domain.
Dewu advised oil companies with loading jackets to monitor their platforms.
“Most of the oil companies have service boats, so they should watch these jackets day and night,” he said.
Dewu said the suspects and vessel would be handed over to the prosecuting agency after investigation.
The Nigerian among the suspects said he joined TECNE in 2016, adding that he was directed by a man, Victor, to load crude from the jacket.
The captain of the ship said he was not aware their action was illegal.
“We came to load here. I don’t know it is unofficial, I don’t know it is illegal bunkering. We load at night for three days. This is my first time,” he said.