MT Praisel Carried HPFO Did Not Steal Crude, Says Navy

The Nigerian Navy has confirmed Motor Tanker Praisel carried high pour fuel oil (HPFO) as approved by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and not stolen crude as earlier alleged by operatives of a private security firm Tantita Security Services Ltd.

A statement on Sunday morning by the director information Naval Headquarters Cdre Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan said results of the laboratory analysis of the product onboard MT PRAISEL by all agencies including NMDPRA displayed properties consistent with Nigerian industrial standard specification for HPFO.

The Navy had on 4 August 2023 released a statement to clarify an allegation in respect of Motor Tanker (MT) PRAISEL which was reported to be conveying stolen crude oil with naval escorts onboard.

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The Navy had said MT PRAISEL was duly approved by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to load 1,114,721 Litres of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from 26 July – 8 August 2023.

This was according to the statement affirmed by the NMDPRA.

However, due to the allegation and suspicion of the vessel’s product to be stolen crude oil, samples of the product were collected on Thursday and Friday 3 & 4 August 2023 by relevant agencies in line with laid procedures for laboratory analysis and verification of the claim.

“As of Saturday 5 August 2023, the results of the laboratory analysis of the product onboard MT PRAISEL by all agencies including NMDPRA indicate that the product displayed properties consistent with Nigerian industrial standard specification for HPFO. This result therefore proves that the allegation and suspicion was totally wrong, unfounded, and perhaps mischievous.

“The intelligence which was said to have been received in respect of the vessel and its product is equally wrong” he said. He lamented that “this singular incident brings to the fore the high-handedness and unprofessional conduct displayed, with its attendant negative consequences for the supplier and buyer of the product, the vessel hired to convey it and other parties involved in the legitimate business.”

He therefore, reiterated the Nigerian Navy’s strong stance to support every single effort to halt economic saboteurs and to fight against crude oil theft in Nigeria’s maritime environment (NME) provided such effort is done within the ambit of the law and with the best professional conduct.

“Proper precaution therefore must be adhered to by all stakeholders to avoid unnecessary impediment to legitimate commercial activities and businesses in the maritime environment”.

The statement further disclosed that maritime security issues entails more than spontaneous actions from insufficient and unverified information because “the resultant wrong responses have direct impact on the nation’s economy hence it must be handled dispassionately and professionally”.

Cdre Ayo-Vaughan restated that the Navy under the able leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla will ensure transparent and robust inter-Service and inter-agency cooperation and synergy in all her operations.

He therefore called on all stakeholders and players within the NME to adopt the same posture in the overall interest of the nation.