*CNS says allegations untrue, baseless
*Defence minister says allegations will be investigated
A coalition of concerned Nigerians has sent a petition to President Bola Tinubu, raising allegations of crude oil theft, contract splitting, procurement fraud and corrupt practices against Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
In a petition signed by prominent human rights activists and lawyers, Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, Comrade Mohammed Suleiman SK, Barrister Aisha Waliki, and Comrade Ogunwoye Samson, the coalition called for an immediate investigation of Vice Admiral Ogalla, who it accused of engaging in corrupt practices.
The coalition, which submitted the petition to President Tinubu through the Office of the Minister of State for Defence, Hon. Bello Matawalle, expressed deep concern over the alarming allegations.
In a quick reaction, the Nigerian Navy has denied the involvement of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) in any fraud or shady deal.
Minister of State for Defence has however assured that the allegations would be thouroghly investigated to ascertain the truth.
“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 stated.
The coalition outlined three primary areas forming the basis of their petition against Vice Admiral Ogalla: oil theft collusion, contract splitting and procurement fraud, and corrupt practices.
Regarding oil theft collusion, the coalition alleged that Naval officers under the direct control of Vice Admiral Ogalla had not only participated in the theft of the nation’s crude oil but had also allegedly provided security for the criminals.
It cited specific incidents involving vessels engaged in crude oil theft, such as the MT PRAISEL vessel, where the Nigerian Navy allegedly allowed it to continue navigating the Nigerian waterways under the protection of Naval officers.
The coalition claimed to possess evidence, including a video, allegedly showing the Nigerian Navy escorting the MT PRAISEL vessel at night.
The coalition also highlights 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.
It also recalled a 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 said the Nigerian Navy’s alleged involvement in these cases of crude oil theft was alarming.
It asserted that crude oil theft persists because the Navy, led by Vice Admiral Ogalla, was allegedly in collusion with the criminals, and the corruption could be traced to its upper echelon.
To effectively combat crude oil theft or reduce it to a minimum, the coalition called for the removal of Ogalla.
Regarding the allegation of contract splitting and procurement fraud, the coalition accused Ogalla of contract splitting, in violation of Nigeria’s procurement laws, particularly the Procurement Act.
It listed 30 contracts allegedly awarded by the Navy under Vice Admiral Ogalla’s command it said the contract were allegedly awarded to a single company, with each contract valued at $537,672.45, totaling over N8 billion.
Contract splitting, which involves dividing a single contract into smaller pieces to bypass procurement regulations, is expressly forbidden by Section 20(2) of the Procurement Act.
The coalition said engaging in contract splitting was a criminal offence punishable by a minimum term of five years imprisonment, according to Section 58(1) of the Act.
It called on President Tinubu to take decisive action to prevent further economic losses and ensure a thorough investigation into the allegations of corruption against the Naval chief.
It further alleged that Ogalla had failed to reassign personnel within the Nigerian Navy who were engaged in fraudulent activities.
It alleged that the oil theft, procurement fraud, and other criminal activities were carried out by Naval personnel under his command at the expense of the nation’s resources.
The coalition recalled previous investigations and prosecutions of serving and retired military officers for economic crimes against the Nigerian state during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, noting the lingering reputational damage suffered by the military as a result.
It implored President Tinubu to address the issues raised in the petition urgently to prevent further irreparable reputational and economic harm to the nation.
The Nigerian Navy has however denied the involvement of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) in any fraud or shady deal.
According to navy spokesman, Rear Adm. Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, the allegation is a coordinated effort by disgruntled elements feeling the heat of the navy’s renewed vigour to fight crude oil theft and illegalities in the maritime domain.
In a statement in Abuja on Saturday reported by the News Agency ofNigeria(NAN), Ayo-Vaughan said the malicious publication would not deter the navy from continuing the battle to curb oil theft and give oil thieves sleepless nights.
He said only the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), not the navy, has the prerogative of awarding or overseeing oil bunkering contracts.
Ayo-Vaughan described as unfounded, baseless and malicious, the article published by an online medium alleging that the Naval Chief, was in trouble over multibillion naira oil bunkering and contract-splitting fraud.
He added that the allegations that the CNS accepted over 170 million Dollar bribe and was involved in multi-billion naira contract splitting fraud in the last six months were untenable, baseless and untrue.
According to him, 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 oil 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 follow due process in line with the laws of the Federation,” he added.
Ayo-Vaughan said the Nigerian navy would remain guided by extant laws and regulations, and discharge its role of monitoring Nigerian maritime domain and arrest of any vessel that contravene the law.
He said that the launch of OPERATION DELTA SANITY has scared oil theft cartels which hitherto believed no individual could confront its ranks.
“Fortunately, the recent achievements of the NN in this regard have put them on their heels hence the resort to cheap blackmail through immoral and compromised online media publishers,” he added.
Ayo-Vaughan assured that the navy would continue to ensure that legitimate businesses in the maritime domain thrive seamlessly.
He added that the malicious publication would in no way deter the Nigerian navy in its resolve to confront criminals sabotaging the nation’s economy.
He said that the security and economy of the nation was greater than any group of persons that think they must continue to drain the country.
“Accordingly, members of the public are therefore enjoined to discountenance completely the malicious publication.
“It is totally untrue and completely baseless, being a figment of the shallow imagination of the writer, his publishers, and their unpatriotic sponsors,” he said.
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has however pledged to investigate the corruption allegations against Vice Admiral Ogalla.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the minister’s pledge was contained in a statement by Mr Henshaw Ogubike, Director, Information, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, in response to the allegation against the Naval Chief.
Matawalle in the report by NAN noted that the administration of President Tinubu had a zero tolerance for corruption in the public service.
“Though these allegations might be mischievous, the Ministry of Defence is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability within the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“The allegations leveled against Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla are serious,” he said.
He harped on a thorough investigation saying that it was imperative to emphasise the need for a thorough and impartial investigation to ascertain the truth of the claims.
Speaking on the source of information, the minister said “we respect the role of the media in fostering transparency and holding public figures accountable.
“At the same time, we urge responsible journalism that adheres to the principles of fairness, objectivity, and accuracy.
“Accusations of this nature can have far-reaching consequences on the reputation of individuals and institutions, and thus, it is crucial to avoid premature judgments.”
He further assured the public that in the light of the allegation, the ministry would collaborate fully with relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
“We remain committed to the principles of due process and fairness, ensuring that findings will be based on concrete evidence and legal standards.
“It is our collective responsibility to maintain the trust and confidence of the Nigerian people in the institutions that safeguard our nation’s security.
“We call for patience as the investigative process unfolds and trust that justice will be served in accordance with the rule of law,” he further said.
