Vessel Owner Sues Navy For N200 Million

‪A company, Mercury Oil Company has filed a N200 million rights enforcement suit against the Nigerian Navy, the chief of naval staff and flag commander, central naval command. The company is accusing the navy of unlawfully detaining its ship, the “MT SAPPHIRE”, along with four crew members, over suspicion that its activities were illegal. Adekunle Folorunsho, the company’s managing director, said the navy also disregarded an order by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), to release after it investigated and absolved it of wrongdoing. Adekunkle, who deposed to an affidavit at the Federal High Court in Lagos, said the crew members were released seven months. Adekunle also said that the vessel carried 280,000 liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) at the time of its arrest. He said the products was siphoned while the vessel was still being held by the navy. He put the loss the company incurred at over N200 million.