Navy seizes 37 ships

The Western Command of the Nigerian Navy said yesterday that it arrested about 37 ships over their alleged involvement in crimes within the nation’s territorial waters in the past three months.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Samuel Ilesanmi Alade, made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of Obangame 2014 joint sea exercise held at the command’s headquarters in Lagos.

He noted that the activities of crude oil thieves and sea robbers have been source of concern to the federal government and that the Nigerian Navy is doing all within its constitutional mandate to stem the tide.

Alade, who described those involved in crude oil theft as economic saboteurs, added that the Navy with its zero tolerance to oil bunkering have intensified its presence at sea.

“This is evidenced in the arrest of about 37 foreign and locally owned ships and badges involved in act of criminality in our waterways. The affected vessels were arrested in the past three months,” he said.