MT Prestigious still in Navy custody – Source

 Contrary to reports that the Nigerian Navy has released a vessel being investigated for allegedly stealing crude oil, the ship is still in custody, according to sources.

A group, the Niger Delta Renaissance Network, had raised the alarm that the vessel had been freed.

But it is still in the custody of the Nigerian Navy, while samples of its cargo have been collected for testing by an independent laboratory.

“The owners of the vessel, Newcross Exploration and Production Limited, have also provided the necessary documentation regarding the approvals and authorization they received to transport crude oil to Bonny Terminal SBM3. In a letter from Newcross to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the company affirmed receipt of approval to deploy MT PRESTIGIOUS WD to support its legitimate crude oil barging operations to Bonny Terminal,” the source said.

The oil company also frowned at the false allegations being made against it by “Operation Tantita”, highlighting the economic costs of false allegations made by the private security operatives.

According to the source: “Every allegation of oil theft is thoroughly investigated by a number of government agencies, including regulators and law enforcement, with a mandatory thorough review of the documentation provided by a suspected vessel, as well as sample testing of the vessel’s contents. It is only on the conclusion of this assessment that a decision can be made regarding clearance.”