Segun James
16 November 2008
Yenagoa and Omon-Julius Onabu in Warri — The fact that foreigners are the major players in the bunkering activities along the nation's waterways was again proved right at the weekend when security operatives nabbed 22 Filipinos with 12,000 metric tonnes (84,000 barrels) of crude oil in the Warri area of Delta State.
The arrest of the Filipinos is coming barely four months after another set of 14 Filipinos were arrested at the Brass area of Bayelsa State for indulging in similar offense.
The 22 Filipinos were arrested aboard a foreign registered vessel, MT AKUADA at the Escravos area of Warri.
THISDAY gathered that the ship was operating under a fictitious name of MT KUA when it was arrested, but a search through the document soon revealed the original name of MT AKUADA.
The ship was said to be moving from one vandalised oil pipeline to the other lifting oil when it was arrested.
The JTF in a statement by its Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt. Col. Rabe Abubakar, claimed that the security outfit was respo-nsible for the arrest. The claim was however debunked by his Naval counterpart from the Warri Naval Base, NNS Delta, Lt. Sikiru Adigun, who accused the JTF of laying claim to an assignment handled by the navy. The task force had in a statement claimed that: "The JTF in its intensified effort to eradicate illegal oil bunkering and other related sabotage-activities in the Niger-Delta, has yet intercepted and arrested a vessel, MT AKUADA carrying 12,000 metric tonnes of suspected bun-kered crude oil with 22 Filipinos on board".
"The vessel was arrested while transiting Escravos waters in Delta state", it further said, adding, "Preliminary investigation conducted aboard the ship revealed that the vessel's actual name was MT AKUADA and the product it was conveying was illegal oil from Bedfut Point in Delta State, obtained from crude oil thieves using barges.
"The JTF is committed to carrying out its statutory duties taking into consideration the rule of law and due process and at the same time will continue to apprehend the illegal oil bunkerers wherever they may be operating and whoever is involved.
"At least we are gradually catching up with the big guns in illegal oil business. Details will be made public as soon as possible," the taskforce stated.
In its counter claim, Adigun said, the Navy arrested the vessel and informed the authorities of JTF, Op RH about the development.
Adigun said: "At about 9 am on Friday, the Naval patrol intercepted a foreign ship with suspected crude oil of about 12,500 metric tonnes at Escravos Bar transiting out of channels.
Also, the Commanding Officer of NNS Delta, Navy Capt. Peter Agba, corroborated Adigun's claim that the JTF's action is an attempt to claim credit for a feat it did not work for.
However, the JTF spok-esman, Abubakar has said that the outfit had begun to find answers to the frequently asked question on its failure in the past to apprehend the masterminds of the illegal oil bunkering operations in the region.
"At least we are gradually catching up with the big guns in illegal oil business", an excited Abubakar told THISDAY. He said members of the public would soon be given details of the latest development involving foreign saboteurs of the Nigerian economy.
On July 10 this year, 14 Filipinos were arrested in similar circumstances, on board a Panamanian vessel, MV Lina.
The 14 Filipinos who were later paraded before newsmen in Warri on Wednesday, July16, 2008 include Ray P. Chavez (who is the Captain of the vessel), Nelso Corpin, Antonio Norgino, Tirso Olaviar, Jerome Competente, Joselin Gabion and Rexy Aldovino. Others are Rito Bajoyo, Jun Garcenila, Judel Garcenila, Eugeno Mediano, Mark Jordan Dimaano, Jose Evelito Palimero and Louis Givesania.
The dust raised following the subsequent arraignment and release of the 14 suspects on bail by the relevant security agencies in Nigeria has hardly settled.
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