Shipping Manifest

EFCC takes over alleged illegal bunkering vessel, MT OCEAN TREASURE, from NIMASA
 

A few days after the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) impounded the MT OCEAN TREASURE over alleged illegal oil bunkering, the Agency has handed over the vessel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Possession of the vessel, which was allegedly carrying 300 metric tonnes of illegally refined automotive gas oil, also known as diesel, was handed over by NIMASA to the EFCC, alongside eight crew members and three staff of Vital Shipping Limited, Apapa, Lagos, owners of the vessel.

The all-male crew members include: Ayoade Emmanuel, Stephen Bamgbose, Idowu Balogun, King. C. Fred, Michael Ekanem, Olorunwa Omowunmi, Felix Ayenuberu and Suru Lepe.

The three staff of Vital Shipping on board the vessel are: Onuoha Ikechukwu, Omodara Emmanuel and Faith Akhahowa.

Principal Maritime Safety Officer, NIMASA, Mr. Duniya David, who handed over the vessel and crew on behalf of the Director-General of NIMASA, Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, urged the EFCC to carry out further investigation on the source of the petroleum product and the operations of the vessel.

Receiving the document transferring the vessel and crew, Usman Ladan Baki assured that the EFCC will do its best in investigating the case. 

Operatives of the Commission took a sample of the AGO cargo allegedly found aboard the MT OCEAN TREASURE for analysis. 

When intercepted and arrested by operatives of NIMASA, the MT OCEAN TREASURE reportedly had no shipping certificate, registered flag, crew list, bill of lading and cargo manifest.

The vessel's oil record book was also not available, according to sources.

Baki assured NIMASA that the incidence of the gun duel and death of a member of the patrol team will be referred to the appropriate agency for further investigation.

It would be recalled that NIMASA had arrested 10 persons suspected to be the killers of the Managing Director of Global West Vessel Specialist Limited (GWVS), Capt. Romeo Itima, who allegedly died in an encounter with suspected pirates at Escravos Forcados area of Delta State, while on patrol penultimate weekend.

PARADE OF ALLEGED SUSPECTS ... The alleged suspects and crew of the MT OCEAN TREASURE allaged to have killed the Managing Director of Global West Vessel Special Limited (GWVS), Capt. Romeo Itima, recently paraded by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) at the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC), Kirikiri, Lagos.

GWVS is the company to which the nation’s maritime security domain was concession to by the Federal Government through NIMASA.

Parading the suspects Monday before journalists at the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (RMRCC), Kirikiri, NIMASA Deputy Director, Public Relations, Hajiya Lami Tuamaka said that the suspects, who were allegedly crew onboard the MT OCEAN TREASURE, are suspected to be the pirates, who, according to her, allegedly attacked the Agency’s patrol boat, the NIMASA BURUTU, killing Itima. 

BULLET-RIDDLED BOAT ...  The glasses of the NIMASA  BURUTU, the vessel Itima allegedly fell off from and drowned when the boat rammed into the breakwaters at Escravos Forcados, Delta State.

 She said that the Captain of the MT OCEAN TREASUREis at large, while the 1000-ton capacity vessel, which allegedly had 300 tons of illegally refined AGO loaded at Akassa in Bayelsa State, was under detention.

Tumaka said that the vessel was arrested last Saturday at Kirikiri, having been trailed by the Agency’s Maritime Guard Command from Escravos.

Narrating the circumstances of the demise of the late GWVS boss, she explained that after an initial encounter with the MT OCEAN TREASURE, the NIMASA BURUTU was making a retreat to the mother-vessel when she ran into a submerged section of the breakwaters, damaging all her four engines and dislodging two of the occupants, including Itima, who died eventually.

DRY DOCKED ... NIMASA BURUTU at the RMRCC.after the tragic outing. 

Tumaka added that investigation suggests that the death of Itima was due to high tide covering the breakwaters and the shattered windscreen, which, she said reduced visibility.

“The NIMASA patrol boat, one of the latest state-of-the-art patrol boats recently acquired by Global West Vessel Specialist Limited through a PPP agreement with NIMASA was being deployed to the brass area to check the increasing wave of criminality around that region when it was attacked by gunman aboard Ocean Treasure damaged the windscreen but was unable to penetrate its bullet proof armour by men suspected to be pirates,” Tumaka said.

Also speaking Head of NIMASA, Maritime Guard Command, Capt. Promise Dappa, said that the suspects will soon be handed over to the Police because NIMASA does not possess the power of prosecution.

He added that no arm was recovered from the suspects, alleging that they must have dropped the arms inside the speed boat that was escorting the MT OCEAN TREASURE.

Dappa explained that the agency is still on the watch for that speed boat that was escorting the MT OCEAN TREASURE.