Crude theft: Navy arrests 3 Ghanaians, 9 Nigerians

The Central Naval Command,
yesterday, announced the seizure of an oil
vessel, MT Frankesen, and arrest of 12 persons
over alleged theft of crude oil along the Akassa
waterways in Brass Local Government Area of
Bayelsa State. Three of the suspects were identified as
Ghanaians, while the others were Nigerians.
The seized vessel, according to the Navy, is
owned by a Port Harcourt-based businessman. Parading the suspects before newsmen in
Brass on Saturday, the Flag Officer
Commanding, FOC, Central Naval Command,
Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman, said though the
vessel’s movement log showed evidences of
previous voyages to Ghana, the arrest of the vessel and the crew was carried out by Naval
operatives attached to the Forward Operating
Base of the Navy, FORMOSO. He said: “The vessel was loaded with products
suspected to be stolen crude oil from Akassa
in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa
State. “The crew of the vessel consists of nine
Nigerians and three Ghanaians. “On interrogation, the Captain, Adeyemi
Akinleye, confessed on video that they were
instructed by the owner of the vessel (names
withheld), residing in Port Harcourt, to load
stolen crude oil from two barges around
Akassa and proceed to Tema in Ghana, where the product would be disposed off. “The captain revealed that a local pilot was
used to navigate the vessel into Nun River,
while one Mr. Destiny was the agent that
supplied the product.”