REVEALED: International Maritime Organisation declares Nigerian waterways unsafe over abandoned oil-theft vessels

Nigerian Navy has revealed that the unfortunate culture of abandoning oil theft vessels along the waterways was one of the major reasons the international Maritime Organization, IMO, declared the country’s ports and waterways unsafe to do business in the past.

It noted that such development has been a contributing factor to the high insurance premium on ships operating in Nigerian waters with negative impact on the nation’s economy, adding that so much money has been spent in clearing the waterways of such wrecks.

Reacting to an allegation by the alleged owners of Merchant Vessel (MV) Cecelia who claimed that the vessel was seized and burnt by the NN, Navy in a statement signed by the director of Information, Commodore A.O Ayo-Vaughan on Sunday said the facility was being tracked for allegations of oil theft.

“The vessel was arrested on 15 August 2023 with products suspected to be illegally refined AGO at Meco Jetty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State following an operation by the Naval Component of OPDS. A press interview was conducted immediately after the arrest, however, the owners of the vessel remained at large.

“Subsequently, the sample of the products onboard the vessel was taken for laboratory analysis and it was discovered to be illicit AGO. Pertinently, the owners of the vessel were at large and did not present themselves to witness the test in line with extant procedure”.

The statement added that it has been the practice among oil thieves, “in some cases where vessels involved in oil theft are arrested, the owners abscond leaving the NN to bear the cost of keeping and sustaining the vessels. This has cost the nation huge sums of money and has constituted serious national security problems.

“Most of the vessels either sink alongside the jetty or within the channel constituting serious navigational hazards. These abandoned vessels have been the major reason why the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the past, declared the nation’s ports/waterways as the most unsafe ports in the region.

“This has been a contributing factor to the high insurance premium on ships operating in Nigerian waters with negative impact on the nation’s economy. Suffice to state that NIMASA, NPA and the NN have expended huge sums of money in the clearing of wrecks in the waterways that resulted from abandoned vessels engaged in oil theft.

“The public is to note that MV CECELIA has not been operational and has been alongside for about 2 years. At the time of the arrest, the vessel was laden with about 250,000 litres of illicit AGO. So far 3 suspects have been arrested and have made useful statements while the alleged owners remained at large”.

According to the statement, the vessel has no NNPCL or any other regulatory approval to serve as an AGO storage facility. “This fact is clearly known to the NN and OPDS as all approved storage facilities are usually communicated to Naval Headquarters by relevant agencies for monitoring.

“It is important to note that the intelligence revealed that illegally refined products are received onboard MV CECELIA for storage. One of the suspects revealed that they usually bring illegally refined AGO in ‘Cotonou’ (large wooden) boats and Geepee tanks and offload into MV CECELIA pending when it will be sold to unsuspecting members of the public. It is unfortunate that this practice has been on without being detected until the recent re-invigorated intelligence-led operations by OPDS and the NN”.

The Navy stated that the arrest of MV CECELIA was a milestone achievement in the renewed drive to rid the Niger Delta of the illicit crime of oil theft, adding that the NN and OPDS will not be hindered by the usual antics of the oil thieves.

“These sometimes include the owners claiming ignorance of the use of their vessels for illegalities. The NN and OPDS remain law abiding and will continue to carry out its statutory roles of fighting oil theft including des