By Philip Nwosu
The Nigerian Navy said on Friday, that the alleged rogue vessel MT Praisel, which was arrested by the Tantita Security Service Limited (TSSL) for allegedly lifting stolen crude oil from the Niger Delta, was duly authorised to do so by the agencies of the Federal Government.
Indeed the Navy said that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) duly approved the MT Praisel to load 1,114,721 litres of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from 26 July to 8 August 2023.
A statement from Naval Spokesman, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan said the legitimacy of the operations of MT Praisel has been substantiated by NMDPRA. The Navy said that the move by its troops, which were deployed onboard the MT PRAISEL was in line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and to ensure strict compliance with the NMDPRA approval.
The statement said the troops were deployed to monitor the discharge of the product by MT Praisel at a facility in Bonny.
While explaining what happened between the TSSL operatives and the Nigerian Navy, the force said: “To put the record straight and avoid the misrepresentation of facts to unsuspecting members of the public as portrayed, MT Praisel was duly approved by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to load 1,114,721 litres of High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) from Greenmac Energy Storage/Tarus Jetty Koko from 26 July – 8 August 2023. This has been substantiated by NMDPRA. In line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and to ensure strict compliance with the NMDPRA approval, NN personnel were deployed onboard to monitor the discharge of the product by MT PRAISEL at a facility at Bonny.”