Rear Admiral Atiku Abdukadir, fhe Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The Nigeria navy has nabbed seven crew members (suspected to be oil thieves) on a ship and two barges near Onne Port, Rivers State.

The Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Atiku Abdukadir, confirmed to journalists that one of the ships was carrying more than 300,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined crude oil. Abdukadir said seven crew members on board the vessels are now undergoing interrogation.

Abdukadir said while the Nigeria Navy has increased its surveillance of the waterways in Rivers State to enable water travellers have a hitch free Christmas celebration, it will however need information from travellers on criminal activities on the waterways.

The forward operating base, FOB, in Bonny also arrested two ships along the Bonny waterways last week with content suspected to be illegal crude oil.

Security observers believe that with Yuletide season at hand, oil thieves are likely to increase in order to make quick cash.