There are indications that Ghana’s Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) may today (Friday) arraign eight Nigerian pirates earlier arrested by the country’s Navy in connection with the hijack of crude oil tanker MT Mariam.
Eight Nigerian high sea robbers were arrested last Saturday by the Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Navy in Tema, for hijacking a fuel vessel in Nigeria. The BNI said it has sufficient evidence that eight hijacked ship.
There are indications that Ghana’s Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) may today (Friday) arraign eight Nigerian pirates earlier arrested by the country’s Navy in connection with the hijack of crude oil tanker MT Mariam.
Eight Nigerian high sea robbers were arrested last Saturday by the Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Navy in Tema, for hijacking a fuel vessel in Nigeria. The BNI said it has sufficient evidence that eight hijacked ship.
The suspects: Molih Williams, 32; Peggy Aki, 32; Ebiyaibo Amos, 32 and Molih Klinsman, 31.The rest are David Jacob, 30; Ayetimiyi Oyinle, 29; Pinamo Samiyo, 26 and Picolo John, 25. are alleged to have hijacked the ship in Nigeria and demanded a huge ransom from nine crew members.
The BNI is holding all nine crew members including the captain on board the ship. They consider the ship a crime scene.
In what appear to be the first test case of pirates trail within the West African sub region, some suggestions were raised about whether the pirates who are foreign nationals could be tried in Ghana.
But sources at the BNI have dismissed this saying there is no such impediments provided they have enough evidence of crime.
The tanker’s owners, using an onboard tracking device, informed Ghanaian authorities of its position in Ghanaian waters, leading to the arrest.
But, speaking on the arrest earlier in the week, a Ghanaian security spokesman; Colonel Aggrey Quarshie had explained that, “the Ghana Navy responded swiftly with a patrol team to the area and they were able to overpower the pirates and free the ship. But when they got there, the cargo had already been transferred to another vessel”.
The MT Mariam was en route to Togo when it was captured. The Ghana Navy crew retrieved $1,270 and N43,850 as well as four AK 47 assault rifles, ten fully loaded AK47 magazines with a total of 300 rounds of ammunition, one pump action gun, 18 mobile phones, one digital camera, one hair clipper, three hand held VHF radio, seven wrist watches and other personal belongings from the pirates. The hijackers also allegedly drained the tanker of its oil.
The hijack occurred at 5:00 am on January 11, 2014 at Warri in Nigeria.
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