President Muhammadu Buhari has banned 113
vessels from lifting crude oil and gas from 27 designated terminals in the
country.
vessels from lifting crude oil and gas from 27 designated terminals in the
country.
A memo dated July 15 that originated from the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which was signed by the NNPC’s
group managing director, G.O Komolafe, directed affected terminals to prevent
the vessels from lifting crude oil within Nigeria’s territorial waters until
further notice.
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which was signed by the NNPC’s
group managing director, G.O Komolafe, directed affected terminals to prevent
the vessels from lifting crude oil within Nigeria’s territorial waters until
further notice.
The Maritime Trade
Intelligence reported that the memo, which is published on the SaharaReporters website
(listed 27 terminals from which the vessels are prohibited to lift Nigerian
crude.
Intelligence reported that the memo, which is published on the SaharaReporters website
(listed 27 terminals from which the vessels are prohibited to lift Nigerian
crude.
The terminals are Forcados,
Bonny, Bonga, Sea Eagle, Qua lboe, Erha, Yoho, Usan, Bonny River Terminal,
Escravos, Agbami, Pennington, Escravos LPG FSO, Escravos Gas Terminal, Antan,
Okwori, Odudu, Akpo, Brass, Abo, Okono, Oyo, lma, Okoro, Ukpokiti, Tulja, and
Ebok.
Bonny, Bonga, Sea Eagle, Qua lboe, Erha, Yoho, Usan, Bonny River Terminal,
Escravos, Agbami, Pennington, Escravos LPG FSO, Escravos Gas Terminal, Antan,
Okwori, Odudu, Akpo, Brass, Abo, Okono, Oyo, lma, Okoro, Ukpokiti, Tulja, and
Ebok.
The memo, which is addressed to all terminal
operators, said: “I am directed to convey to you the directives of Mr
President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, regarding prohibition of some crude oil
vessels.
operators, said: “I am directed to convey to you the directives of Mr
President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, regarding prohibition of some crude oil
vessels.
The whole list of 113 crude oil vessels indicated in the spreadsheet
attached herewith have been prohibited forthwith from engaging in crude oil/gas
loading activities in any of the terminals within the Nigerian territorial
waters till further notice.
attached herewith have been prohibited forthwith from engaging in crude oil/gas
loading activities in any of the terminals within the Nigerian territorial
waters till further notice.
The affected vessels have been barred from
movements within the Nigerian territorial waters forthwith. Finally, enforcement
of the above directives takes immediate effect pending a notice to the contrary
by Government.”
movements within the Nigerian territorial waters forthwith. Finally, enforcement
of the above directives takes immediate effect pending a notice to the contrary
by Government.”
A Presidential source told SaharaReporters
that the blacklisted vessels were implicated in a pattern of fraud that
resulted in the shortchanging of Nigerians.
that the blacklisted vessels were implicated in a pattern of fraud that
resulted in the shortchanging of Nigerians.
“Many of the vessels had documents in Chinese,
Russian or French names, and used these different languages to hide their
illicit lifting of Nigerian crude,” said the source.
Russian or French names, and used these different languages to hide their
illicit lifting of Nigerian crude,” said the source.
He added that numerous officials of former
President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the NNPC as well as the Ministry
of Petroleum were involved in facilitating the illegal lifting of Nigerian
crude.
President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the NNPC as well as the Ministry
of Petroleum were involved in facilitating the illegal lifting of Nigerian
crude.
SaharaReporters said that the vessels
were mostly linked with oil bunkering and the sophisticated theft of crude from
numerous NNPC loading facilities.
were mostly linked with oil bunkering and the sophisticated theft of crude from
numerous NNPC loading facilities.
