Oil Theft: CSO Applauds Naval Chief Over Seizure Of More Vessels

Chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has been applauded for intensifying the war against oil thieves and their sponsors.

Ogalla was commended for seizing  MT PRAISEL, MT KALL and other vessels which provoked the raging media attack on him and allegations of corruption and contract splitting.

In a reaction to the criticisms, a group,  Civil Society for Peace, Security and Development (CSPD) praised the naval chief over the seizure of MT PRAISEL, MT KALL, MT TURA and MT VANNALARIS vessels allegedly used to steal the country’s  crude oil.

The group led by Mr Obadiah Ovye at a press conference in Abuja said the feat spoke volumes of the resolve by Ogalla to deal the death kneel on the activities of saboteurs and oil thieves in Nigeria and their foreign collaborators.

Oye said the case of MT PRAISEL, MT KALI  cited by Ogalla’s antagonists had only gone to expose the ignorance of those behind the malicious media attacks on the naval chief.

He said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Navy has clear procedural requirements in the arrest, detention and release of any vessel or persons found culpable of any crime in the maritime environment.

“ It is until these processes are duly concluded that such vessels are released to appropriate prosecuting agencies for further actions. This is what the Nigerian Navy is doing but the owners of such vessels feel misinforming the public about the true state of affairs and blackmailing the naval boss will save them from prosecution. This is malicious and a calculated attempt to tarnish the good image and reputation of the chief of naval staff as well as the entire Nigerian Navy,” he said.

Ovye also faulted the claim that the naval chief was involved in procurement fraud and contract splitting, in violation of the  Procurement Act.

He said the Nigerian Navy has a reputation for due diligence and there’s no way Ogalla will award or oversee oil bunkering contracts.

The group added: “ Even an imbecile will know that the award of such contracts is the sole prerogative of NNPCL. The Nigerian Navy has a vibrant procurement department and all contracts awarded by the Navy follow due process in line with the Procurement Act, 2007. Those desperate to hoodwink the Naval Chief should at least take some time and do their findings.

“It is painful that while discharging its constitutional duty, that Nigerian Navy is coming under attacks and some media houses are complicit in this attack. The Navy is empowered to monitor Nigeria’s maritime assets and it is doing so with distinction.

“Those who are threatened by the giant strides of the Nigerian Navy should not be allowed to use your platforms to spread lies and hate. As a civil society organisation, we applaud the Nigerian Navy under Emmanuel Ogalla for blocking the conduits from where our commonwealth was siphoned by a few.

“The increase in revenue has already started making visible impacts with increased Federal allocations and many legacy projects.  We therefore urge Nigerians, to disregard the antics of saboteurs and their sponsors who are fighting to have a change of leadership at the Navy to someone they can manipulate.”

The group thereby passed a vote of confidence on the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla over the ongoing effort to restore sanity to our maritime domain.