In furtherance of its legendary reputation of compliance with judicial pronouncements, the Nigerian Navy has handed over an arrested vessel, BARGE PARADI, to its owners, City Online Services Limited., in line with the order of a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.

The Commanding Officer of Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), BONNY, Captain Rafiu Taye Oladejo handed over the hitherto seized vessel to the representative of City Online Services Limited, Jude Uranta, on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Bonny, Rivers State.

The brief handover event, which took place at the Coconut Estate Waterfront in Oguede Community, had a representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olawuyi Ridwan, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), in attendance.

In an interview with Kristina Reports, Capt. Oladejo explained that the handover was significant as it underscores the transparency that underpins the operations of the Nigerian Navy and its predisposition to obey judicial pronouncements as well as absolute respect for the rule of law.

“The significance of this handover is to show transparency in the handing over process between the Nigerian Navy and vessel owners when there is a court directive to that effect, upon fulfilling certain conditions, as prescribed by law, so that it will be glaring to the general public that nothing was shrouded in secrecy.”

He further revealed that irregularities associated with the handling of the POL (Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants) products being conveyed by the vessel led to its arrest, especially, in the event of the relevant documentation not being available at the point of interception by the Nigerian Navy personnel. He further stated that with the handover, the court order has fully been complied with.

“The vessel was seized based on friction in the transfer of petroleum products. It was the court order which has directed that the barge be released to its owners. We are here to carry out that directive.”

Kristina Reports’ checks indicate that the seized vessel, BARGE PARADI was arrested on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at about 05:30 hours along the Bonny River at Latitude 4° 27.555’ N and Longitude 007° 10.486’ E.

It was subsequently detained for allegedly carrying an unspecified amount of Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) product, suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), without relevant approval.

The Nigerian Navy said, upon completion of the preliminary investigations, the vessel was handed over to the EFCC on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, for further investigation and prosecution, noting that this was in line with its inter-agency collaboration to ensure due process and compliance with extant regulations governing activities in the nation’s maritime environment.

Kristina Reports further learnt that, in the course of the adjudication, the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt ordered the release of the vessel to its owners, City Online Services Limited.

According to Captain Oladejo, the Wednesday’s handover was consequent upon an order by the Naval Headquarters to release the vessel to the owners, having satisfied all the conditions for release, in line with the court order.

Reacting to the release of the vessel, the representative of City Online Services Limited, Jude Uranta, who is also the company’s Director of Operations, expressed happiness over the development, saying that “this handover means success, happiness, fulfilment; it means that a thing that was a pain in the past has been turned to joy”.

He lamented that seizure of the vessel brought economic woe to the owners, City Online services Limited, expressing gratitude to the Judiciary, EFCC and the Nigerian Navy for their efforts in ensuring the vessel was released to the company in line with the court’s order.

“Having kept this barge for over three years, it’s not been easy. We thank God today, and the litigation team that was involved in going to court, and the Navy that has done the needful; we praise God. And we thank the Nigerian system, we thank the Judiciary, EFCC and the Navy for their support towards this.”