$170m bribery: Naval spokesman weighs in on allegations

BY ANDREW OROLUA

Nigerian Navy said on Saturday that allegations in online media that the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) accepted over $170 million in bribes and was involved in multi-billion naira contract splitting fraud in the last 6 months are untenable, baseless and untrue.

It said the “unfounded and baseless sponsored malicious publications against the office and person of Chief of the Naval staff,” Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla by crude oil thieves and disgruntled elements who must be brought account.

The baseless publications would not deter Nigerian Navy from arresting members of the oil thieves cartel who did not wish the country economy to rebound.

Naval Spokesman, Rear Admiral AO Ayo -Vaughan who stated this in a statement noted that the Service is aware of the coordinated frantic efforts to blackmail the office and person of the CNS by some disgruntled elements who are feeling the heat of the Nigerian Navy’s renewed vigour to fight crude oil theft and illegalities in the maritime domain .

The Naval authorities are also aware of the activities of those who have in one way of the order short changed the Navy before now.

Specifically, it noted that the continuous rejuvenated operations towards curbing oil theft has given the oil thieves sleepless nights hence the decision to engage in the malicious publications.

Nigerian Navy recently launched OPERATION DELTA SANITY which provided for a holistic, more robust roadmap towards the reinvigorated stance of the NN and this has turned the heat against crude oil theft and other forms of illegalities in the Nation’s maritime environment.

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Indeed, the NN is aware of these antics as it is expected considering the current resolve of the NN to engage oil thieves head on. The cartel hitherto believed no individual could confront its ranks. Fortunately, the recent achievements of the NN in this regard have put them on their heels hence the resort to cheap blackmail.

The spokesman said Nigerian Navy will continue to ensure legitimate businesses in the maritime domain thrive seamlessly adding that these distractions will in no way retract the NN’s resolve to confront these criminals who must be brought to justice for Nigeria’s economy to rebound. The security and economy of the Nation is greater than any group of persons that think they must continue to drain the country.

It enjoined members of the public to discountenance completely the malicious publication that emanated from Peoples Gazette because it is totally untrue and completely baseless being a figment of the shallow imagination of the writer, his publishers, and their unpatriotic sponsors.

Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan said the attention of the Naval Headquarters was drawn to “the unfounded, baseless and malicious publication by Peoples Gazette, an online publisher that had single out Nigerian Navy one of its recurring targets for blackmail, character assassination and libel.

He recalled that a similar malicious article was published by online in June 2023 alleging the immediate past Navy Chief did not want to hand over.

Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan said that this time it originated a false report saying, “Naval Chief Emmanuel Ogalla lands in trouble over multi billion naira oil bunkering, contract-splitting fraud.”

These “allegations that the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) accepted over $170 million in bribes as well as alleged involvement in multi-billion naira contract splitting fraud in the last 6 months are untenable, baseless and untrue.”

“Firstly, there are clear procedural requirements in the arrest, detention and release of any vessel or persons found culpable in the maritime environment. It is until these processes are duly concluded that such vessels are released to appropriate prosecuting agencies for further actions.

“Indeed, all arrested vessels mentioned in the publication that were involved in crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering are being investigated and none of such vessels has been released as alleged.

“Secondly, the CNS does not award or oversee oil bunkering contracts; the award of such is the sole prerogative of NNPCL.

“Thirdly, all contracts awarded by the Navy follow due process in line with the laws of the Federation. The Nigerian Navy (NN) and her roles is an offshoot of the constitutional provisions and duly guided by extant laws and regulations of the land.

“The policing roles of the Navy empowered her to monitor the maritime domain of the Nation. These among others include arrest of vessels that contravene any of the maritime laws and SPOMO Act 2019,” he stated.