A fishing trawler and 13 crew members have been arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB), FORMOSO.

The crew members were arrested for involvement in Illegal crude oil activities in Bayelsa State.

The Commanding Officer of FORMOSO, Captain Muritala Aminu Rogo, while handing over the intercepted trawler to the operatives of the Economic and Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC), said the trawler was intercepted on February 7, 2024, around Brass offshore for allegedly receiving about 40,000 litres of illegally refined crude around Fish Town River.”

He described the act as economic sabotage which would not be tolerated by the navy.

Rogo, who was represented by the Base Operations Officer, Lt Cmdr Haruna Ranga, advised all fishing trawlers to obtain bunker approval from appropriate naval authorities and purchase their products from approved sources.