Four seamen, with their captain, whose consciences and fear in God, and had known the consequences of these actions, refused to obey the orders of the shipowner to do oil bunkering, jumped ship and now safely en route home.
The news when the Pinoy Seamen were caught are reprinted here as many of us do not exactly know what happened. Questions were still unanswered.
The seafarers were believed to be recruited by an agency in the Philippines. How then, did POEA allow them to go? Was there any authentication regarding the ownership of the vessel? It was claimed that the same set of bunkerers were caught.
Even as the Charge d'Affaire has gone to Qatar this morning together with the other troubled nations' Phil. ambassadors (Lebanon, Kenya, Jordan, Syria) foremost of which I believe is to talk about the TRAVEL BAN imposed on us OFWs (to Nigeria),
the fact remains that in the eyes of the Nigerians (government)
the Filipinos are just hanging around to create trouble (in this case, oil bunkerers, in short 'oil thieves').
The Philippine Government, in imposing this ban, believes that it is safeguarding the interest of the Filipinos. The Philippine Government intentionally forgot that in doing so, the Nigerian Government was painted and labeled as a 'dangerous' country - a very unfair assessment. Now, this 'dangerous country' caught these Philippine nationals bunkering their oil and the bunkerers are still in prison. The same bunkerers were allegedly in connivance with the militants.
Our government labeled Nigeria as a 'dangerous country'. The OFWs here in Nigeria proved otherwise.
The Nigerians labeled the Filipinos as 'thieves' and the proofs are still with them.
So, what now?
_____________________________________
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Alleged oil bunkering: Why we swooped on 22 Filipinos - Naval Task Force Sylvester Idowu, Warri - updated: Tuesday 25-11-2008
The suspectsOperatives of the Joint Task Force code named Operation Restore Hope recently paraded 22 Filipinos arrested by the Naval Task Force of the group for alleged bunkering. 
The suspects were arrested aboard a vessel named MT KUA but suspected to have been registered as MT AKUADA with 12,000 metric tones (about 84,000 barrels) of crude oil estimated at about one billion naira.
Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt-Col Rabe Abubakar who was assisted by the Public Relations Officer of NNS, Delta, Lt Sikiru Adigun said the suspects were apprehended following a tip off.
According Lt-Col Abubakar, following intelligence report, the Naval Task Force Patrol team laid ambush for the vessel and upon sailing out, the security operatives swooped on the bunkerers.
He disclosed that there was resistance from some militants which led to a gun battle but that the security operatives were able to repel the hoodlums and piloted the ship to a more secure location.
Meanwhile, tight security has been weaved around a vessel by operatives of the Nigerian Navy, NNS, Delta, Warri and undercover security men for alleged oil bunkering.
Some of the Filipinos were also moved to Naval Barracks while those that will keep the vessel afloat were only allowed on board the ship but under the watchful eyes of armed security guards.
Security sources told Crime & Security that the vessel sailed to Delta Ports, amidst tight security.
It was gathered that the need to beef up security around the vessel and the Filipins was as a result of series of attacks on some oil installations when the arrest was carried out.
Crime & Security learnt that following the arrest, in which naval personnel bullets felled two militants in an attempt to foil the interception by the security agents, moves were made by unidentified prominent indigenes of the state to secure the release of the vessel and the crew members.
When the overtures were rebuffed, the people behind the bunkering then threatened to attack oil installations to force the release of the vessel and the Filipinos.
“We refused to cooperate with them. They indeed attacked some oil installations and security posts in some areas. That’s why we beef up security around the vessel and the Filipinos”, the source said.
The Filipinos and their Nigerian counterparts had successfully loaded the vessel from crude oil bunkered from Bedfut point in Warri South West Local Government Area of the state and were sailing out when naval patrol team swooped on them.
The Public Relations Officer of NNS, Delta, Lt Sikiru Adigun confirmed the development adding that they were awaiting further directive from the headquarters.
MT Akuada scandal: Heads may roll in JTF
Written by Emma Amaize
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
HEADS may roll in the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta over the November 14 interception of a foreign vessel, MT AKUADA with 12,000 tonnes of crude oil, stolen by a syndicate of oil thieves that has some military men in its payroll.
Already, a soldier believed to be a member of the syndicate has been arrested on the orders of the Commander of the JTF, Brigadier-General Nanven Wuyep Rimtip, who is bent on stopping the oil thieves and sanitizing the task force.
A source told Vanguard, yesterday, that the suspect soldier-member of the syndicate was being interrogated at the JTF Headquarters in Effurun.
Already, preliminary investigation into the episode was said to be almost completed, but, Brigadier-General Rimtip said he was expecting the report “any moment”.
“It is certain that a Board of Inquiry will be set up to after the submission of the preliminary report to probe the involvement or otherwise of soldiers in the crude oil bunkering syndicate since it has become very obvious from available reports that some military men were conniving with the oil thieves,” a dependable source told Vanguard.
Rimtip refused to confirm the arrest or interrogation of any soldier in connection with the MT AKUADA scandal, saying, “What I know is that investigation is on.”
He, nevertheless, confirmed that men of the JTF visited the Lagos office of the company, Triumphant Marines that applied for the vessel to be allowed to come into the country for repairs only to be discovered that it was a fake address.
At the JTF headquarters, it was learnt that fresh panic gripped the men and officers when one of their colleagues, now under interrogation, was brought in handcuffs from Escravos. It is feared that if he spills the beans, a lot of officers and men involved in the illegal business with crude oil thieves would be exposed.
Twenty-two Filipinos who formed the crew of the ship were arrested along with the vessel by the JTF and in an audacious bid to arm-twist the JTF boss to release the stolen crude to them, crude oil thieves hijacked a ship, MV Thor Galaxy, which was conveying equipment for the Escravos Gas-to-Liquid project to the Warri Ports.
Following a 24-hour ultimatum by Brigadier-General Rimtip on the armed militia to release the ship or he would bombard the hideout of the oil thieves in any community or location they were hibernating in the creeks, the traditional ruler of Gbaramtu kingdom and other eminent leaders intervened and got the boys to release the vessel.
While the impasse between the JTF and the crude oil thieves over the seizure of MT AKUADA and its content lasted, the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan insisted that the law should take its course.Brigadier-General Rimtip told Vanguard that the whole thing about the application for the ship to come in for repairs was a fraud, as those who wrote the application in the first instance used a fake name, MT KUA for the vessel, when the real name is MT AKUADA.
What has remained baffling to the authorities of the JTF, even up till yesterday, is that some members of the task force knew about the deal and connived with the oil bunkerers in carrying out the economic sabotage and that is what the Board of Inquiry is going to unravel.
http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-196727.0.html
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THIS DAY
Topic: 22 Philipinos Nabbed Again For Oil Bunkering In Nigeria DeepZone
22 Philipinos Nabbed Again For Oil Bunkering In Nigeria
« on: November 17, 2008, 10:12 AM »
Again, JTF nabs 22 Filipinos for oil bunkering
From Segun James in Yenagoa and Omon-Julius Onabu in Warri, 11.16.2008Sunday, November 16, 2008
The fact that foreigners are the major players in the bunkering activities along the nation’s waterways was again proved right at the weekend when security operatives nabbed 22 Filipinos with 12,000 metric tonnes (84,000 barrels) of crude oil in the Warri area of Delta State. AThe arrest of the Filipinos is coming barely four months after another set of 14 Filipinos were arrested at the Brass area of Bayelsa State for indulging in similar offence.The 22 Filipinos were arrested aboard a foreign registered vessel, MT AKUADA at the Escravos area of Warri.THISDAY gathered that the ship was operating under a fictitious name of MT KUA when it was arrested, but a search through the document soon revealed the original name of MT AKUADA.The ship was said to be moving from one vandalised oil pipeline to the other lifting oil when it was arrested. The JTF in a statement by its Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt. Col. Rabe Abubakar, claimed that the security outfit was respo-nsible for the arrest. The claim was however debu-nked by his Naval counterpart from the Warri Naval Base, NNS Delta, Lt. Sikiru Adigun, who accused the JTF of laying claim to an assignment handled by the navy. The task force had in a statement claimed that: “The JTF in its intensified effort to eradicate illegal oil bunkering and other related sabotage-activities in the Niger-Delta, has yet intercepted and arrested a vessel, MT AKUADA carrying 12,000 metric tonnes of suspected bun-kered crude oil with 22 Filipinos on board”. “The vessel was arrested while transiting Escravos waters in Delta state”, it further said, adding, “Preliminary investigation conducted aboard the ship revealed that the vessel’s actual name was MT AKUADA and the product it was conveying was illegal oil from Bedfut Point in Delta State, obtained from crude oil thieves using barges.“The JTF is committed to carrying out its statutory duties taking into consideration the rule of law and due process and at the same time will continue to apprehend the illegal oil bunkerers wherever they may be operating and whoever is involved.“At least we are gradually catching up with the big guns in illegal oil business. Details will be made public as soon as possible,” the taskforce stated.In its counter claim, Adigun said, the Navy arrested the vessel and informed the authorities of JTF, Op RH about the development.Adigun said: “At about 9 am on Friday, the Naval patrol intercepted a foreign ship with suspected crude oil of about 12,500 metric tonnes at Escravos Bar transiting out of channels.Also, the Commanding Officer of NNS Delta, Navy Capt. Peter Agba, corroborated Adigun’s claim that the JTF’s action is an attempt to claim credit for a feat it did not work for.However, the JTF spok-esman, Abubakar has said that the outfit had begun to find answers to the frequently asked question on its failure in the past to apprehend the masterminds of the illegal oil bunkering operations in the region.“At least we are gradually catching up with the big guns in illegal oil business”, an excited Abubakar told THISDAY. He said members of the public would soon be given details of the latest development involving foreign saboteurs of the Nigerian economy.On July 10 this year, 14 Filipinos were arrested in similar circumstances, on board a Panamanian vessel, MV Lina.The 14 Filipinos who were later paraded before newsmen in Warri on Wednesday, July16, 2008 include Ray P. Chavez (who is the Captain of the vessel), Nelso Corpin, Antonio Norgino, Tirso Olaviar, Jerome Competente, Joselin Gabion and Rexy Aldovino. Others are Rito Bajoyo, Jun Garcenila, Judel Garcenila, Eugeno Mediano, Mark Jordan Dimaano, Jose Evelito Palimero and Louis Givesania.The dust raised following the subsequent arraignment and release of the 14 suspects on bail by the relevant security agencies in Nigeria has hardly settled. http://odili.net/news/source/2008/nov/16/200.html
Feedbacks from Nigerians
james1 (m)
Re: 22 Philipinos Nabbed Again For Oil Bunkering In Nigeria
« #1 on: November 17, 2008, 11:56 AM »
Hi.They should be given the maximum sentence by a competent court.If Nigerians do this in their country.they won't escape.
DeepZone
Re: 22 Philipinos Nabbed Again For Oil Bunkering In Nigeria
« #2 on: November 17, 2008, 12:14 PM »
50 did it before and I don't know what happened to them. I think Nigeria deported them back to phillipines and now more 22.
ziddy (m)
Re: 22 Philipinos Nabbed Again For Oil Bunkering In Nigeria
« #3 on: November 17, 2008, 12:43 PM »
most of these Asians hanging around in Nigeria are criminals. they are a big part of our economic problemsthey bribe government officials to get concessions, to dump substandard goods on us and undercut our local industries, to get contracts they know they don't have the technical capacity to execute.if only our leaders would listen more to their conscience than their potbellies, this country might still make it. maybe. . .
OBVIOUS
Re: 22 Philipinos Nabbed Again For Oil Bunkering In Nigeria
« #4 on: November 17, 2008, 03:43 PM »
Quote from: ziddy on November 17, 2008, 12:43 PM
most of these Asians hanging around in Nigeria are criminals. they are a big part of our economic problemsthey bribe government officials to get concessions, to dump substandard goods on us and undercut our local industries, to get contracts they know they don't have the technical capacity to execute.if only our leaders would listen more to their conscience than their potbellies, this country might still make it. maybe. . .True talk. If its not the white man, its the asians, L O L
iceblue (f)
Re: 22 Philipinos Nabbed Again For Oil Bunkering In Nigeria
« #5 on: November 17, 2008, 04:03 PM »
and i suppose they did it without inside help? some of our suffering is brought upon us ourselves. if they had been exposed rather than aided, they would have quit by now. these philipinos seem to be starting a trend. abi dokubo and ateke
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