Few weeks after the special panel constituted by the Navy to investigate allegations of extortion that were raised against some of its personnel that served in the disbanded task force to control the Apapa traffic, submitted its report to the Chief of Navy Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Abas, some of the affected have been dismissed while other administratively punished, so says Navy spokesperson.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that many officers of the Nigerian Navy were reportedly invited by the panel for questioning concerning allegations of extortion that were brought against them by truckers.
It was also gathered that the former Commanding officer, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT; Rear Admiral Okon Eyo was not left out in the interrogation, while several other senior Naval officers were also quizzed.
The officers were accused of collecting a minimum of N70, 000 per truck to be allowed to drive against the traffic straight into the terminal, among other allegations.
The officers were even accused of collecting money from truckers under the guise of escorting them to the ports, only for them to abandon the truckers on the road with no intention of refunding the money.
Reacting on the outcome of the report after it was submitted, the Command Information Officer, Western Naval Command, Lt-Commander Otuji, told our correspondent in Lagos last week that the offenders have started receiving different degrees of punishment depending on the level of their offence.
He explained that some of the officers found culpable have been dismissed, depending on the level of the complicity.
“The Navy does not tolerate any form of indiscipline or criminality, anybody found guilty is always punished. Some (of the affected officers) have been dismissed and some are still in custody”, he confirmed to our correspondent.
He added that: Those that have been found culpable some of them have been dismissed; depending on the level of the complicity, some have been administratively punished. That is the latest about that now”, he concluded.
He however refused to reveal the identities of the affected officers; he claimed not to have their details.
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