The Joint Task Force, JTF, have arrested a vessel carrying 1, 000 tonnes of crude oil off the coast of Bonny Island in Rivers State.
The Commander, 2 Brigade and Sector Two of JTF, Tukur Buratai, represented by Michael Etete, the 2 Brigade Army Spokesman, while parading nine crew members of the vessel in Bonny on Tuesday said the Nigerian registered vessel was impounded while illegally tapping crude oil from a pipeline.
He said “Following military intelligence report on Saturday, December 29, 2012, troops of Sector two deployed in Bonny arrested a vessel registered MT Atlantic Star illegally tapping crude oil from a pipeline.”
“Further investigation is on-going and the suspects will be handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps for prosecution.
“JTF restates its commitment toward stamping out oil theft, oil bunkering and other criminal activities within its area of responsibility in-line with its mandate,” he said.
Rauf Rasak, the Captain of the arrested vessel, said that the crew members were innocent of the charges. He claimed that the vessel was hijacked by six gunmen, who threatened to kill the crew members if they refused to cooperate.
“The gunmen had threatened to kill us if we didn’t cooperate; we had no choice than to obey.
“While loading the vessel with the crude oil; men of the JTF approached us and the gunmen fled the scene.”
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