The vessel was arrested 174 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria, approximately 320 kilometres, heading to Benin Republic.

According to a statement on Saturday by the NNS Base Information Officer, Lieutenant H Ibrahim, the motor tanker, SWEET MIRI vessel had 13 crew; one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians, onboard at the time of arrest.

The Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral MB Hassan, was quoted in the statement, as saying that the vessel was carrying about two million litres of the suspected product without approval and had switched off its Automatic Identification System to avoid detection on February 25, 2024.

Hassan also stated that the infraction necessitated the deployment of Ship ABA to investigate the vessel which was later found carrying products suspected to be crude oil, and NNS Sokoto to double up the search and interdict the vessel.

The statement read, “The Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT under the strategic leadership of Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga who is also the Maritime Component Commander Operation AWATSE, arrested a vessel, Motor Tanker SWEET MIRI suspected to have been involved in crude oil theft. The vessel had 13 crew, one Ghanaian and 12 Nigerians, onboard at the time of arrest.

“The MT vessel has been a vessel of interest to the Nigerian Navy and she was arrested 174 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria, approximately 320 kilometres, heading to the Benin Republic.

“On February 25, 2024, the vessel was observed to have switched off its Automatic Identification System to avoid detection. This necessitated the deployment of the Nigerian Navy Ship ABA to investigate the vessel. Subsequently, she was found carrying products suspected to be crude oil. Thereafter, NNS SOKOTO was deployed to double up the search and interdict the vessel. On arrival, it was discovered that she was carrying about two million litres of the suspected product without approval.”