The Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft, conducting Operation Delta Sanity, intercepted the motor tanker SWEET MIRI today on suspicion of involvement in crude oil theft.
In a statement issued on Saturday evening, the Navy reported that the vessel, with a crew of 13 comprising one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians, was apprehended.
Addressing journalists onboard the vessel, Rear Admiral MB Hassan, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of the Western Naval Command, explained that the SWEET MIRI had been under the Navy’s scrutiny and was detained due to suspected involvement in crude oil theft.
He further disclosed that on February 25, 2024, the vessel had deliberately disabled its Automatic Identification System (AIS) to evade detection. The interception occurred approximately 174 nautical miles off the Nigerian coast, about 320 kilometres, en route to the Benin Republic.
“This necessitated the deployment of Nigerian Navy Ship ABA to investigate the vessel. Subsequently, she was found carrying products suspected to be crude oil.
“Thereafter, NNS SOKOTO was deployed to double up the search and interdict the vessel. On arrival, it was discovered that she was carrying about 2 million litres of the suspected product without approval.”
The FOC further disclosed that, in line with the directive of Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral EI Ogalla, the ship is open for other agencies to come and take samples and carry out their independent investigations to find out the culpability of the vessel.
