The Civil Society for Peace, Security, and Development (CSPSD) has thrown its weight behind the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, in its renewed efforts to end the activities of saboteurs and oil thieves in the country.
The CSO particularly commended the Nigerian Navy for the arrest and detention of MT PRAISEL, MT KALL, MT TURA, and MT VANNALARIS vessels allegedly used in the attempt to steal crude.
The convener of CSPSD, Mr Obadiah Ovye, who addressed newsmen during the weekend in Abuja, said the seizure of the vessels based on credible intelligence and operations spoke volumes about the resolve of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to put an end to the menace of oil theft in the country.
Ovye said those who sponsor media attacks on Ogalla over the detention of the vessels are ignorant of the procedures and operations of the Nigerian Navy.
He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Navy has clear procedural requirements in the arrest, detention, and release of any vessel or persons found culpable of any crime in the maritime environment,” it noted.
“It is not until these processes are duly concluded that such vessels are released to appropriate prosecuting agencies for further action. This is what the Nigerian Navy is doing, but the owners of such vessels feel that misinforming the public about the true state of affairs and blackmailing the naval boss will save them from prosecution.
“This is malicious and a calculated attempt to tarnish the good image and reputation of the Chief of Naval Staff as well as the entire Nigerian Navy.
The CSO also faulted the claims that the Naval Chief was involved in procurement fraud and contract splitting, in violation of the Procurement Act, with Ovye saying its members had carried out independent investigations over the allegations and found them to be all “cheap blackmail.”.
The group maintained that the Nigerian Navy has a reputation for due diligence, and there’s no way the Chief of Naval Staff will award or oversee oil bunkering contracts.
It added: “The award of such contracts is the sole prerogative of NNPCL. The Nigerian Navy has a vibrant procurement department, and all contracts awarded by the Navy follow due process in line with the Procurement Act, 2007. Those desperate to hoodwink the Naval Chief should at least take some time and do their findings.
“It is painful that while discharging its constitutional duty, the Nigerian Navy is coming under attacks, and some media houses are complicit in this attack. The Navy is empowered to monitor Nigeria’s maritime assets, and it is doing so with distinction.
“Those who are threatened by the giant strides of the Nigerian Navy should not be allowed to use your platforms to spread lies and hate. As a civil society organisation, we applaud the Nigerian Navy under Emmanuel Ogalla for blocking the conduits from where our commonwealth was syphoned by a few.
“The increase in revenue has already started making visible impacts with increased federal allocations and many legacy projects.
“We therefore urge Nigerians to disregard the antics of saboteurs and their sponsors who are fighting to have a change of leadership at the Navy to someone they can manipulate.”
The group thereby passed a vote of confidence in the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, over the ongoing effort to restore sanity to our maritime domain.
