•Demand N10b compensation

Soljas Limited, owners of the destroyed vessel, MV Cecilia, has instituted legal action against the Nigerian Navy, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Ministry of Defence and Minister of Justice/Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, over destruction of the vessel.

The Navy had reportedly set MV Cecilia ablaze with about 350,000 litres of suspected stolen Automated Gas Oil (AGO) in Woji, Obio/Akpor Local Council of Rivers State. It had on August 16, intercepted the vessel and arrested three suspects.

The plaintiffs, in the suit marked FHC/PH/CS/157/2023, petitioned the marine component Commander of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Admiral Eugenunio Ferriara, together with Commodore Adedoku Siyanbade and the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo.

Soljas Limited had approached the court following the arrest of the vessel on August 16 and its consequent destruction on August 23, demanding $4 million damages, being the cost of purchase and N10 billion for general damage against the defendants.

When the matter was mentioned in court, yesterday, the lead counsel for the plaintiff, Ifedipe Adedipe (SAN), notified the court that the 7th and 8th defendants (ministries of Defence and Justice) after being served a writ of summons, had yet to receive their statement of defence.

The SAN also notified the court that his client, only while in court, yesterday morning, received a motion of preliminary objection from the 3rd, 4th and 6th defendants (Ferriara, Siyanbade and CDS), which the defendants claimed were served on them in September.

However, David Okechukwu, counsel for the 1st, 2nd and 5th defendants (CNS, Navy and Commander of NNS Pathfinder respectively), in a joint statement of defence, denied every allegation contained in the statement of claims by the plaintiff.

Appearing for the 3rd, 4th and 6th defendants, B.J. Chiedozie, who notified the court that he just served the plaintiff his motion of defence, prayed the court for an adjourned date for hearing of the matter.

While urging parties in the matter to file all their motions, the trial judge, Justice Sada’atu Mark, adjourned the matter till November 29, 2013 for hearing.

When asked, outside the courtroom, if the defence would seek out-of-court settlement, Okechukwu said: “That is why we are in court, and I know that parties are going to do the needful, even as the court keeps going.”