Navy blames oil theft on weak judicial system
INDICATIONS emerged Monday that the Federal Government might have ordered the prosecution of the15-man Russian crew arrested on October 19, 2012, by the Nigerian Navy for encroachment into Nigeria's territorial waters and possession of arms and ammunition.
Meanwhile, the Navy has blamed the unabated oil theft in the country to weak judicial system. Commanding Officer of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Oyetunji Fadeyi, argued that if most of the arrested oil bunkerers were prosecuted and jailed without delay, it would have served as deterrent to other oil thieves.
The Russian suspects were on Monday handed over to the police for further investigation and trial. The 15-man crew of MV Myre Seadiver was arrested by the navy for illegal entry, non-declaration of cargo and possession of arms on board.
Handing over the suspects to the police, Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Martins Njoku, said the action was to ensure further investigation and possible prosecution of the suspects. He noted: "After preliminary investigation, we found out that they were carrying small arms on our waters, which they were not supposed to carry.
"So we are handing over the suspects to our sister security agency, the Nigerian Police, as mandated by the constitution, for continuation of investigation and prosecution."
Speaking shortly after taking over the asuspects and the exhibit from the navy, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Mu'azu Zubairu, who represented the Inspector-General of Police, said his organisation would continue with the investigation.
According to Mu'azu, the matter will be given priority and the suspects will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations are concluded. The items handed over to the police included assorted 14 AK 47 rifles with 3,643 ammunition, 22 barrel rifles with 4,955 ammunition and a rifle called Benelli MR1, with 20 other rifles.
Fadeyi spoke with journalists Monday at the commissioning of the NNS Pathfinder's New Officers' Mess in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, pointing out that until major sponsors of oil bunkering were prosecuted and jailed, the ugly trend in the country would continue.
He added: "We still have problem with our law. The judicial system is very slow. They are almost not existing. We need an enabling legislation to be able to bring them to book.
"So, if you keep on arresting bunkerers, arresting people who are involved in illegal bunkering and nobody is trying them, you will not have any rest."
