Nigerian Navy to crackdown on suspected oil theft and illegal bunkering

THE Nigerian Navy, enforcing Nigerian Ports Authority's designated lighting areas for ship-to-ship and ship-to-rig oil transfers, will stop vessels beyond these zones and "discountenance" any papers they possess from non-relevant state agencies.

"Vessels operating outside officially designated areas would be accosted as they are deemed to be perpetrating criminal acts of crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and fuel subsidy scams," said the navy's statement, according to GAC Hot Port News.

"Accordingly, it has become imperative for the Nigerian Navy to discountenance documents for facilitating oil nominations from some of these agencies conveying unofficial designated areas. The Nigerian Navy therefore solicits the assistance of all stakeholders in ensuring that documents from official sources adhere to approved designated lighting zones," said the navy statement.

The navy is "statutorily charged with the responsibility to check criminal acts of crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and piracy within the nation's maritime domain", the statement said.

"It has recently been observed that certain agencies conveying designated areas for vessel operations as offshore Cotonou, Lome and Brass. These locations are known to be of no significance to the operation of vessels as there are no refineries, discharge terminals or other necessary infrastructure that would facilitate their operations in these unofficial areas," the navy statement said.