FELIX NWANERI

The escape from the country’s territorial waters weekend exposed lapses on the part of relevant security agencies.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy absolved itself of any blame in the matter, saying the ship was never in its custody.

MT Triya is said to have escaped with three Nigerian security personnel engaged by the Federal High Court’s Admiralty Marshal guarding it.

The incident is a repeat of the 2005 MT African Pride saga, which resulted in the sack of some generals of the Nigerian Navy.

Yesterday, the Navy stated that it had nothing whatsoever to do with the missing ship.

Disclosing the ship’s escape yesterday to journalists in Lagos, managing director of Pokat Nigeria Limited, Tokunbo Akinshola, stated that the MT Triya was, before its escape, under detention on the order of the Federal High Court, following a suit instituted against its owners by two Nigerian companies, Rahamaniya Global Resource Limited and Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited.

Akinshola, who is the shipping agent of Rahamarniya explained that owners of the missing ship were sued over short delivery of cargo of gas to the Nigerian companies.

Reacting, the Navy’s director of information, Capt. Henry Babalola, said the matter was strictly between the companies and the ship owners, and had nothing to do with the Navy.

Revealing further that the whereabouts and safety of the Nigerian security personnel aboard the escaping ship still remained unclear, Akinshola alleged collaboration of some Navy personnel but Babalola said the Navy was never charged with securing the ship.

Decrying the way foreign vessels operate in the country, the agent further said that Rahamaniya and Capital Oil were calling on government to institute a into MT Triya’s escape.

Both companies also called on the Interpol and Nigerian embassies in Benin, Togo and Ghana as well as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to commence immediate search for the missing ship and rescue the three Nigerians on board.