Even as the country currently battles scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol, the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has finally soft-pedaled and re-opened the facilities of Integrated Oil and Gas officially for business.
Shipping Position Daily correspondent who visited the depot yesterday noticed the military men packing their bags and leaving the premises of the depot after reportedly, receiving orders from above.
Even as the country currently battles scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol, the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has finally soft-pedaled and re-opened the facilities of Integrated Oil and Gas officially for business.
Shipping Position Daily correspondent who visited the depot yesterday noticed the military men packing their bags and leaving the premises of the depot after reportedly, receiving orders from above.
Many of the stranded marketers and tanker drivers were also sighted in their happy mood, rejoicing for the re-opening of the tank farm.
Even though no management staff of the company was present as at the time of our visit, one of the marketers acknowledged the good news, saying that: "Many trucks have been locked inside this building for days now, naturally if your trucks sleeps inside you pay N20,000, but now they don't have choice".
And confirming the reopening via a statement issued yesterday in Lagos, NIMASA said that it has unsealed and vacated the premises of Integrated Oil and Gas petroleum products tank facility whose operations were suspended by the agency recently.
In the statement signed by NIMASA‘s Head of Corporate Affairs; Hajia Lami Tumaka, it was disclosed that the Executive Management of the Agency resolved to unseal the storage facility indicating the conclusion of preliminary investigations of the Agency and security operatives.
Shipping Position Daily recalls the petroleum products storage facility belonging to Integrated Oil and Gas which is located on the Oshodi – Apapa expressway was sealed by NIMASA allegedly for having links with the hijack of a Panama flagged tanker vessel, MT Anuket Emerald.
The ill-fated MT Anuket Emerald was hijacked offshore Togo where the pirates allegedly trans-shipped about 3,000 metric tonnes of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) into another tanker vessel, MT Grace.
NIMASA had traced the alleged stolen quantity of AGO to the Integrated Oil and Gas storage facility, necessitating its seal- off and subsequent arrest of the former Minister of the Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho who is also the chairman of the company.
However, the NIMASA spokesperson maintained that ‘tank 7’ of the tank farm will remain sealed pending the conclusion of investigations by the agency and other law enforcement operatives.
The alleged stolen products were traced to ‘tank 7’ of the tank farm where MT Grace had reportedly discharged the products for onward commercial sale.
According to NIMASA, “following further investigations by the Agency and security operatives, two persons in connection with the operations of MT Grace are to be referred to the Police who will declare them wanted and continue with investigations.
The statement further disclosed that NIMASA is still on the trail of the chatterer of the said vessel, Mr Moses Olugbenga Fabunmi (also known as Gbenga Olagoke) of PDR venture.
PDR Ventures is the operator of Capital Oil PLC service station located at Amuwo-Odofin Industrial Area, Festac, Lagos.
Tumaka also confirmed the agency’s trail of one Mr Prince Akoto, the proprietor of Akoto Ventures, operators of the vessel, MT Grace.
Both individuals have reportedly declined the NIMASA’s invitations to subject themselves to investigations.
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