The Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Umar Chugali, has said that the Nigerian Navy will continue to burn Ship caught with stolen crude oil.
Chugali explained that the burning of intercepted vessels with stolen crude oil was the Navy’s Standard Operating Procedure.
The FOC made the declaration on Monday, July 24th, 2023 during a familiarisation tour of naval units under his mandate at the Navy Base, Warri, Delta State.
The military on July 11 burnt a Cameroon-bound vessel, MT TURA II, laden with 150 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil.
The burning of the vessel had raised questions among security experts, including the House of Representatives.
But speaking with newsmen on Monday, Chugali said; “So far, every naval personnel, unit and establishment is operating under that SOP, which, for now, is very effective until any other means is devised. We are operating by SOP and also within extant regulations.”
According to him, burning intercepted vessels with stolen crude “has been discovered, for now, as the immediate response to ensure that those illegalities on the maritime domain do not exist.”
“Maybe, later it could be reviewed,” he said.