Posted by From Omon-Julius Onabu in Warri on
Fourteen nationals of Philippines allegedly arrested while engaged in illegal oil bunkering off the Bayelsa coast in the Niger Delta were yesterday paraded by the security Joint Task Force (JTF) at its headquarters in Warri, Delta State.
Fourteen nationals of Philippines allegedly arrested while engaged in illegal oil bunkering off the Bayelsa coast in the Niger Delta were yesterday paraded by the security Joint Task Force (JTF) at its headquarters in Warri, Delta State.
The 14 Filipinos paraded before newsmen in Warri yesterday include Ray P. Chavez who is the Captain of the vessel, Nelso Corpin, Antonio Norgino, Tirso Olaviar, Jerome Competente, Joselin Gabion and Rexy Aldovino.
Others are Rito Bajoyo, Jun Garcenila, Judel Garcenila, Eugeno Mediano, Mark Jordan Dimaano, Jose Evelito Palimero and Louis Givesania.
'The suspects were arrested by JTF at about midnight on July 10, 2008 following an information we received at about 11 p.m. that there was illegal bunkering going on around Akassa community in Bayelsa State", the JTF spokesman, Major Omale Ochagwuba said.
There were, however, counter-claims yesterday regarding the manner of arrest of the suspects.
Major Ochagwuba, however, noted that the Filipino captain of the offensive vessel had, in his initial official statement "said that they (suspects) had local and Nigerian collaborators if you like accomplices", adding, "I believe what is happening is that some persons are deliberately trying to muddle up the whole investigation; but I can assure you the attempt will fail."
Answering reporters' questions on their alleged involvement in the illegal bunkering business within the Nigerian territorial waters, the captain of MV Lina, Chavez, who spoke on behalf of the others, said their vessel was seized by suspected militants before their arrest.
According to him the armed men stormed the vessel while they (Filipinos) were sailing from Cotonou in Benin Republic to Botswana in Central Africa .
"On July 10 (2008) at about 9am to 9.30 am, we were just about 50 miles off the Nigerian east coast (in Bayelsa) sailing to Botswana from Cotonou, when some armed youths in civilian clothes attacked us".
"They captured the vessel and came on board forcibly. We were very afraid; everybody was lying down and we were afraid. Then they locked us all in one room, and we were there until the Nigerian security men came and arrested us. There was nothing, no crude oil in the vessel", he said, adding that he usually ferried "supplies" between Cotonou and Botswana .
Nonetheless, the JTF spokesman dismissed the claims of the suspects, saying they were after-thoughts.
"We dispatched two gunboats to the scene as soon as we received the information and, the vessel continued to sail even when we flagged it down. In fact, when they were ordered to stop they refused until warning shots were fired across their bow, before they realised that the gunboats meant business", he said.
They were recently arrested by JTF in their controversial vessel, MV Lina, which Nigerian security said was loaded between 150 to 160 metric tonnes of crude believed to have been illegally siphoned from a pipeline belonging to Agip oil company.