Navy debunks fraud allegation against CNS

As Coalition Petitions Tinubu, EFCC Over Accusations
The Nigerian Naval headquarters has debunked allegation of fraud and illegal oil bunkering against the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla.

Stories of Ogalla’s alleged dirty deal in territorial waters had gone viral online.

The spokesman of the Navy, Rear Admiral Olukayode Ayo-Vaughan, in a statement, said: “The attention of the Naval headquarters has again been drawn to the unfounded, baseless and malicious publication by Peoples Gazette, an online platform reputed for blackmail, character assassination and libel, with the Nigerian Navy, as one of its recurring targets. As it was in June 2023 in a similar malicious article, it alleged the immediate past Navy Chief did not want to handover.

“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 $170m in bribes as well as alleged involvement in multi-billion naira contract splitting fraud in the last six 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 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 follows due process in line with the laws of the federation. The Nigerian Navy (NN) and her roles are offshoot of the constitutional provisions and duly guided by extant laws 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.”

Similarly, a coalition of concerned Nigerians has submitted a petition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over serious allegations of crude oil theft, contract splitting, procurement fraud, and corruption practices against Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff.

The petition signed by human rights activists and lawyers called for immediate investigation into the conduct of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, who is being accused of engaging in large-scale corrupt practices.

The petition was signed by Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, Comrade Mohammed Suleiman SK, Barrister Aisha Waliki, and Comrade Ogunwoye Samson.

Submitted to the president through the Office of the Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, the coalition expressed deep concern over the alarming allegations.

It said: “At a time when the country is grappling with significant revenue losses due to crude oil theft, it is distressing to discover that the Chief of Naval Staff, whose primary responsibility is to safeguard Nigeria’s waterways against oil theft and other forms of criminality, is allegedly involved in collusion with the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against the Nigerian State.”

The coalition outlined three primary areas forming the basis of their petition against Ogalla: Oil theft collusion, contract splitting & procurement fraud, and corrupt practices.

Regarding oil theft collusion, the coalition alleged that Naval officers under the direct control of Ogalla have not only participated in the theft of the nation’s crude oil, but have also provided security to the criminals.

They cite specific incidents involving vessels engaged in crude oil theft, such as the MT PRAISEL vessel, where the Nigerian Navy allegedly allowed it to continue patrolling the Nigerian waterways under the protection of Navy officers headed by Ogalla.

The coalition claimed to possess evidence, including an authenticated video, showing the Nigerian Navy escorting the MT PRAISEL vessel during the night.

The coalition also highlighted incidents involving the MT KALI and MT Tura vessels, where military gunboats purportedly belonging to the Nigerian Navy were seen protecting vessels engaged in crude oil theft. Furthermore, they mention the recent case of the MT VANNALARIS vessel allegedly loading crude oil illegally off Ondo State, with Nigerian Navy personnel preventing a private security firm from boarding or inspecting the vessel.

The coalition emphasised that the Nigerian Navy’s involvement in these cases of crude oil theft is consistent and alarming.

They asserted that the crude oil theft persists because the Navy, led by Ogalla, is allegedly in collusion with the criminals, and the corruption can be traced to the upper echelons of the Nigerian Navy.

To effectively combat crude oil theft or reduce it to a minimum, the coalition insisted that Ogalla must be relieved of his duties.