Fuel smugglers escape arrest, abandon vessel on high sea
A TANKER vessel suspected to have been used for fuel smuggling by repentant Niger Delta militants have been found abandoned along the shipping route off the coast of Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom state. The vessel was discovered by officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA) recently.
The cargo was said to have a freshly inscribed name: Lort Lagos. It was found 20 nautical miles South West Mobil Qua Iboe and four nautical miles off OSO Oil Rig which is eight nautical miles from Ikot Abasi Fairway Buoy in Akwa Ibom State. Osho and Nsimbo platforms are offshore oil installations owned by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited.
Government sources believed at the weekend that the militants might have abandoned the tanker vessel during a fatal encounter with the Nigerian military forces drafted to the region to enforce law and order during the pre amnesty era No single crew member of the vessel was found on board as at the time NIMASA official got to the vessel.
Following the discovery over the weekend by its surveillance team, NIMASA management dispatched a Search and Rescue team led by Captain Jerome Angyunwe immediately for on the spot assessment of the vessel and to rescue the vessel said to have drifted for many days.
The Search and Rescue team which arrived Akwa Ibom and in collaboration with officials of Marine Police in Ikot Abasi proceeded to sea in search of the abandoned tanker vessel. After about an hour ride into the sea, Lort Lagos was discovered to be dangerously held by one anchor.
A statement from NIMASA and signed by Ms Ego Nwokocha, a deputy director in charge of corporate affairs on Monday said the NIMASA team led by Captain Jerome and the NIMASA District surveyor in Port Hacourt, Engineer Benson who first boarded the vessel discovered that the engine room was flooded and cracks were noticed on both sides, an indication that the ship was almost breaking .
The statement said NIMASA team also sighted fire gun shells on the Monkey Island and main deck. It was also discovered that 5 hoses were over side the Tanker Vessel on Port side with the lifeboat launched
The team also discovered that the navigational equipment in the vessel have been removed and the Deck generator was newly installed in replacement of the old one, which was discovered lying on deck.
The vessel has since been towed to Ikot Abasi to ensure safety of navigation along the shipping route especially for the shipping platforms belonging to the oil companies operating in the area.
