The Nigerian Navy has handed over a vessel loaded with diesel and five suspects to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Base Operation Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory (NNSV), Clement Ayogu, handed over the vessel and the suspects to an assistant superintendent of EFCC from the Uyo zone, Inainfe Young-Inainfe.

The navy said the suspects were four Nigerians and a Venezuelan national.

Mr Ayogu said the handover was done on behalf of the NNSV commander, Ifeanyi Okpala, as directed by the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Ibrahim Dewu.

Mr Dewu said the vessel, ‘Edidion AJ’, and the suspects were arrested on July 20.

“At the time of the arrest, the vessel had four crew members from Nigeria and a Venezuelan national. The vessel was carrying an unspecified quantity of petroleum product suspected to be illegally refined diesel. We have established the fact that the vessel and her crew are complicit in the crime of economic sabotage,” he explained. “As a result of that, we are here to hand over the vessel and her crew to EFCC for onward investigation and prosecution.”

Mr Dewu advised the public to desist from criminal activities.

He vowed that the navy and other security agencies would not spare anyone involved in criminalities.

Mr Young-Inainfe commended the navy for the arrest.

He said the synergy between the EFCC and the navy had yielded many results in the fight against economic crimes.

“We are taking over the vessel and the crew members; we can assure you that proper investigation would be carried out on the suspects, and justice would be done,” he said. 

(NAN)