Bunkering: FG hands over impounded vessel to Swiss govt

The federal government yesterday handed over a Swiss vessel, MT San Padre Pio, to the government of Switzerland three years after it was arrested within the territorial waters of Nigeria without cabotage clearance.

The vessel was arrested within the country’s territorial waters for illegal operations.

Recall that in January 2018, the Nigerian Navy arrested and detained the vessel laden with 5000MT of AGO along with 16 crew members on board, for operating illegally in the Nigerian territorial waters, without cabotage clearance from the Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration Agency, NIMASA.

The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Bonny, had handed over the vessel and the crew members to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for investigation and prosecution.

The arrest and detention of the vessel almost led to a diplomatic row between the Nigerian government and the Swiss government, which Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had to intervene.

Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Abdullahi Ahmed; a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Samuel Niyi Ojo and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami handed over the vessel to the Swiss government on behalf of the federal government.

Speaking at the event, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, said the release and handing over of the vessel will further cement the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Switzerland.

Malami, who was represented by the Deputy Director, International and Comparative Law, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dr Francis Ojo, said the ship was arrested for doing ship to ship transfer of AGO and navigating Nigerian waters without relevant permits.