The Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) Formoso has handed over the vessel, MV Bravo Alero, which was carrying approximately 200,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), along with its three crew members, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and potential prosecution.
The handover occurred at Brass Island in Bayelsa State.
The Commanding Officer of FOB Formoso, Navy Captain Ifeayin-Chukwu Charles Mabeku, represented by Executive Officer Commander Muhammed Gada, stated that the vessel was intercepted on June 8, 2024, by the Quick Response Force of Operation Delta Safe, with support from FOB Formoso.
During the handover ceremony, Commander Gada emphasized the Navy’s ongoing efforts to secure Bayelsa’s waterways and combat illegal activities such as oil theft and illegal bunkering.
The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain, particularly in the Niger Delta region, by preventing criminal activities like illegal oil refining and smuggling.