The Nigeria Navy has succeeded in confiscating about 174 vessels in the nation’s territorial waters involved in oil related offences.
Director operations of the Service, Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbemi, made this known at a meeting with the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the daily consumption of fuel in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Oluwagbemi, said the vessels were confiscated between January 2017 and July 2021 during an intensified effort by their personnels.
He said the vessels were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Civil Defence depending on the offence.
He maintained that from 2015 to date, over two hundred million metric tons of PMS was imported into Nigeria.
Speaking, Chairman of the committee, Abdulkadir Abdullahi, said the committee was set up due to the inability of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC to provide accurate figure of daily consumption of Premium Motor Spirit PMS in the country.
He added that the probe would no doubt help to strengthen fiscal federalism in the country as the figure is crucial to national planning especially the controversial fuel subsidy.
The Chairman however expressed displeasure over the failure of more than 40 oil companies invited to appear before the committee without genuine reason.
TSIBIRI SALIHU
