Operatives of the Nigerian Navy have arrested 20 suspected crude oil thieves in Akassa, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State after intercepting their vessel, MT TIS IV.
The Commander, NNS Soroh, Commodore Patrick Effah, who confirmed the arrest on Monday in Yenagoa, the state capital, said all the suspects were Nigerians.
He said following the arrest, the vessel was found to be carrying about 700,000 litres (about 603 metric tons or 4,402 barrels) of illegally sourced crude oil worth about $315,500 (N148million) without the requisite approval for such cargo.
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Meanwhile the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy has inaugurated its Chief of Naval Staff Annual Sea Inspection, deploying 10 gunships and two helicopters to tackle illegal oil bunkering and piracy in the Niger Delta.
The command also prepared four tactical operational bases to provide support for its personnel offshore during the operation codenamed ‘Exercise Quiet Waters’.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Awwal Gambo said the exercise would last three days and explained that the operation was designed to revalidate the capabilities of the Navy in line with the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari to create an enabling environment for maritime business to flourish in the country.
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