By Biola Lawal
Abuja (Flowerbudnews) The Nigerian Navy has reacted to allegations of corrupt practices Against the Chief of Naval Staff, describing it as unfounded, malicious and baseless.
Naval Director of Information, Rear Admiral AO AYO-VAUGHAN gave the clarification in a statement entitled ‘:SPONSORED MALICIOUS PUBLICATION AGAINST THE OFFICE AND
PERSON OF THE CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF,”
a copy of which was made to Flowerbudnews.
Rear Admiral Vaughan stressed that the publication and allegations were part of a ”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 as well as those who have, in one way of the other, shortchanged
the Navy before now.”
He said that a cartel perpetrating atrocities in the maritime sector, including the oil theft, were feeling the heat of Navy’s OPERATION DELTA SANITY, and therefore, decided to ”resort to cheap blackmail through immoral and compromised online media publishers.”
Rear Admiral Vaughan urged Nigerians to ‘:discountenance completely the malicious publication that emanated from Peoples Gazette because it is totally untrue and completely baseless”.
He stressed that accusations were ‘:a figment of the shallow imagination of the writer, his publishers, and their unpatriotic sponsors’:
The Full Statement Read:
The attention of the Naval Headquarters has again been drawn to the unfounded,
baseless and malicious publication by Peoples Gazette, an online publisher reputed
for blackmail, character assassination and libel, and with the Nigerian Navy as one
of its recurring targets as it was in June 2023 in a similar malicious article alleging the immediate past Navy Chief did not want to hand over.
The People Gazette has again originated a false report saying, “Naval Chief Emmanuel Ogalla lands in trouble over multibillion naira oil bunkering, contract-splitting fraud.
The 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 lawsp 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.
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 as well as those who have in one way of the order shortchanged the Navy before now.
Specifically, the continuous rejuvenated operations towards curbing oil theft has
given the oil thieves sleepless nights hence the decision to engage in the malicious
publications.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Navy recently launched OPERATION DELTA SANITY which provided for a holistic, more robust
roadmap towards the reinvigorated stance of the NN towards the fight against crude
oil theft and other forms of illegalities in the Nation’s maritime environment.
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 through immoral and compromised online media publishers.
Pertinently, the NN will continue to ensure legitimate businesses in the maritime
domain thrive seamlessly. Also, 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.
Accordingly, members of the public are therefore enjoined 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.(Flowerbudnews)
