The Nigerian Navy says it was deploying new technologies and modern platforms to checkmate crime along the nation’s maritime environment.

Acting Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, Commander Ibekwe Ogbadu said this during the handover of an arrested vessel, MT AKEMIJOE BUNKER 1 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, January 6, 2022 in Bonny, Rivers State.  

Cdr. Ogbadu, who is also the Executive Officer of the NN FOB, handed over the vessel to the EFCC’s Acting Sectional Head, Counter Terrorism and General Investigation, DSE Jamo Tukur.  

“The Nigerian Navy has deployed new technologies and modern platforms in recent time to maintain robust posture in other to reduce any kind of maritime crime within Nigerian maritime environment and we will remain steadfast to ensure that it is been carried out.”  

He warned criminals who may wish to test their luck within the Nigerian maritime space to turn a new leaf or face the wrath of the Navy, asserting that the service maintains zero tolerance for any form of maritime crime within the nation’s territorial waters.

“My warning to all maritime criminals is to turn a new leaf because the Nigerian Navy has zero tolerance for any kind of maritime crime within Nigerian waters.”

He informed that the Nigerian Navy, in line with its inter-agency collaboration, was handing over the MT AKEMIJOE BUNKER 1, which was arrested on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.

Upon taking over MT AKEMIJOE BUNKER 1, marked the vessel, collected samples of the product found onboard and obtained written statements from the six crew members, who they took along with them to their office in Port Harcourt for further investigation.