A Nigerian pirate who was convicted and sentenced for hijacking a Dutch freighter has been charged again in connection with a previous piracy incident in 2017. The case has been in motion for more than six years. South African police arrested pirate action group leader Itoruboemi Benson Lobia at an airport in Johannesburg in late 2018, acting on an Interpol warrant issued by the Netherlands. A South African court approved his extradition, and in 2022, a Dutch court convicted Lobia of the hijacking and kidnapping attack aboard the FWN Rapide. The Dutch-flagged freighter was attacked by pirates off Port Harcourt in 2018, and the criminals held the 11 crewmembers hostage during a month-long series of ransom negotiations. The operator, ForestWave, reportedly paid a ransom of $340,000 to secure the release of the crew - a fraction of the $2 million reportedly sought by Lobia.
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A total of 8.1 million barrels of stolen crude oil, and 86,500 MT of illegally refined AGO were recovered by operatives of the Nigerian Navy during various operations in the last four years.Also, a total of 392 suspected oil thieves were arrested and 120 Barges and deactivated 1,528 illegal refining sites were destroyed within the period under review.The Chief of Navy Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, revealed the figures in Abuja while briefing journalists on the activities of the service.Ogalla who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans Rear Adm. Olusegun Ferreira said troops also arrested 181 speedboats,1,453 wooden boats laden with stolen products,118 vehicles and destroyed 8,790 storage tanks.
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The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has inaugurated the third edition of the French-supported maritime exercise, codenamed ‘CROCODILE LIFT’. The exercise, aimed at honing amphibious operation skills, took place aboard the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) KADA at the Western Naval Command, Lagos, over the weekend. Representing the CNS at the event, Rear Admiral Shehu Gombe, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Doctrine Command, highlighted the significance of the exercise, comparing it to the recently concluded ‘EX GRAND AFRICAN NEMO 2024’..
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Rear Adm. MG Oamen, the new Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) of Nigerian Navy, has charged naval officers on discipline and respect for constituted authorities in the country. Oamen gave the advice during a working visit to Forward Operating Base of Nigerian Navy, Badagry, and the unit of Naval Base in Tongheji Island, Lagos. According to him, officers should keep to time, have integrity, be disciplined and be humane to citizens. “If you are supposed to be at a place, be there at a standard time and do as per standard of operating. “If you do not engage in any illegality, then the Chief of Naval Staff will be very happy with us as a command. In your conduct, as you interact with society, you must be above board.
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The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has called on terminal operators to capitalise on the favorable investment climate fostered by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to drive greater investments in Nigerian ports. Dr. Dantsoho made this appeal during an operational tour of the Apapa and TinCan Island Port Complexes in Lagos. He emphasised that Nigeria’s vast population warrants a higher level of investment in its ports than is currently observed, noting that such investment would yield mutual benefits for the operators and the country at large. While addressing terminal operators, Dantsoho highlighted the need for eco-friendly practices in line with the World Ports Sustainability Programme.
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The Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. MG Oamen, has assured the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Tincan Island Port Strategic Command of collaboration in combating illicit drug trafficking.This is according to a statement by Tincan Island Port Strategic Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju.The naval boss gave the assurance during an advocacy visit to the Western Naval Command.The visit was part of efforts to reinforce interdiction capabilities at the Tincan Island Port, Lagos.Oamen expressed support for the NDLEA’s initiatives and underscored the commitment of the Nigerian Navy to collaborate with law enforcement agencies in addressing the scourge of drug abuse.
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