5th March, 2024
The Nigerian Navy says it sealed ta tank farm in Calabar because it was suspected to be storing illegally-refined diesel.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship Victory, Commodore Rotimi Oderemi, said an intelligence report from the military’s joint taskforce in the South-South – “Operation Delta Safe’’.
He said: “Based on the report, the tank farm was sealed and samples of the suspected illegally-refined diesel were taken for laboratory analysis.
“Investigation is on-going. I advise business owners and tank farm operators to operate within the confines of the law by obtaining necessary approvals for their operations,’’ Oderemi said.
Oderemi also said that a recent joint operation by the Nigerian and Cameroonian Navies led to the interception of a vessel laden with 30,000 litres of crude oil suspected to have been stolen from Nigeria.
He said when the vessel, MV Jasmine, was inspected at Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, it intercepted by a Nigerian Navy patrol boat, NNS Ekulu.
He said: “Upon noticing NNS Ekulu, the suspected vessel proceeded to the international waters between Nigeria and Cameroon, just as NNS Ekulu was in its hot pursuit.
“Resulting from our collaboration and with the support of the Cameroonian Navy, the vessel was intercepted and brought to Ibaka with eight Nigerians on board,’’ he said.