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The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has dismissed reports linking Nigeria to the supertanker seized by U.S. forces over allegations of crude oil theft and other transnational crimes. NIMASA refutes claims linking Nigeria to the seized VLCC MV Skipper. The MV Skipper, seized by U.S. forces, has no registration under the Nigerian flag. Checks revealed the vessel's owners are not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company. The vessel was intercepted in international waters, carrying the Guyanese flag illegally. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has dismissed reports linking Nigeria to the MV Skipper, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) seized by U.S. forces over allegations of crude oil theft and other transnational crimes. In a statement issued on Friday, the agency said the 20-year-old tanker, with IMO Number 9304667, is not registered under the Nigerian flag and has no authorisation to operate as a Nigerian vessel. NIMASA added that preliminary checks show the vessel does not appear in Nigeria’s official ship registry and that its purported owners, Lagos-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., are not registered with the agency as a shipping company. The clarification follows the announcement by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy that the supertanker was intercepted earlier in the week off the coast of Venezuela. American authorities allege the vessel was involved in crude oil theft, piracy, and the illicit transport of oil from Iran and Venezuela in violation of U.S. sanctions. The Skipper has been under U.S. OFAC sanctions since 2022. NIMASA pledges cooperation with international partners NIMASA stated that tracking data from its C4i Center indicated the vessel was last sighted in Nigerian waters on 1 July 2024, after which it sailed on its regular international routes, operating in the Arabian Sea and subsequently in the Caribbean, where the U.S. interdiction occurred. The agency also noted that the tanker, previously owned by Triton Navigation Corp. of the Marshall Islands, has undergone multiple name and ownership changes. At the time of its interception, the vessel was found flying the Guyanese flag without authorization. Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) confirmed that Skipper is not listed in its national registry, describing the flag use as illegal, a tactic often associated with vessels attempting to evade sanctions or obscure their identities. The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, emphasized the agency’s commitment to cooperate fully with all relevant authorities, including U.S. investigators. Mobereola noted that no form of criminal activity will be tolerated within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

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drinokrane ❚ 2 days ago❚

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) says it is concerned that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, are not working together for the 2027 elections.

Speaking on Friday on the Morning Show, a programme on Arise Television, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC spokesperson, acknowledged the party’s concerns when asked about the lack of collaboration between Obi and Abubakar ahead of 2027.

“I may not describe the situation in such superlative terms to say that it’s the greatest threat to democracy at the moment. But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC spokesperson also noted that the party is not discussing the presidential ticket now but is focused on strengthening its nationwide structures.

“Nobody in the ADC at this time is having conversations about who the presidential candidates will be,” he said.

“We have so much work to do — to establish our real presence and be in a position to contest elections in all 36 states and the FCT.

“We have also tried to maintain that it’s not just about Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. Nobody in the ADC at this time is discussing who the presidential candidates will be.

“So, we have so much work to do – to establish our presence, real presence; to be in a position to contest elections in all the 36 states of the federation and FCT.

“So, this has preoccupied us in the last couple of months, but we know that it is an issue we have to deal with. The most important thing is that at this time, when we get to that point, we try to engineer a consensus – a consensus which is an option for us, but if we are not able to reach a consensus, then we’ll possibly just open it up for everyone to contest.

“And it’s not just about Atiku and Peter Obi; there are other people who are also interested in contesting the presidential race.

“You know, so, we have to make allowance for that. It’s not a central case between Atiku and Peter Obi.

“I agree with you; it’s an option. But there are also other options that we are looking at, even within the other political parties that we are also having conversations about how to build a formidable coalition to see what is possible.”

Early this month, Obi said the ADC coalition is faltering because it has yet to settle questions on zoning and the rotation of key offices.

While Obi has yet to formally register as a member of the party, Atiku Abubakar has picked up his membership card.

Abdullahi had urged Obi to make a decision on joining the party, saying the ADC is not yet at the stage of adopting zoning.