Oil bunkering: Court orders forfeiture of ships, trucks, others

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the interim
forfeiture of about 500 vessels, boats, barges, trucks, tankers and
motorcycles seized from alleged oil thieves nationwide.
The Federal Government had filed two ex-parte applications, seeking
the forfeiture of the items and these were granted by Justice
Nnamdi Dimgba on August 10 after taking arguments from applicants’
lawyer, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN).

The applications are marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/741/2017 and
FHC/ABJ/CS/742/2017

The affected items and their consignments, according to court
documents, were seized from alleged oil thieves by the Nigerian
Navy and the Inspector General of Police (IGP)’s Special Task Force
on Petroleum/Illegal Bunkering.

By the ruling of the court, certified true copies of which The
Nation sighted in Abuja on Monday, the owners of the affected items
and the consignments have been given 14 days to show cause why the
items should not be forfeited to the federal government
permanently.

Part of the ruling reads: “That order of interim forfeiture is
hereby granted to the first applicant – FRN -, of all the items
listed in the schedule attached to this motion, marked as Exhibits
OB1 – OB3, including, but not limited to vessels, barges, boats,
laden cargo pending the final determination of the originating
motion on notice.

“That order of interim forfeiture is hereby granted to the first
applicant – FRN – of all the items listed in the schedule attached
to this motion, marked as Exhibit BB1, including, but not limited
to motor vehicles (trucks, tankers, buses, cars and cycles –
tricycles and motorcycles) and the goods/products contained
therein, pending the final determination of the originating motion
on notice.”

The court also granted an order allowing the applicants to
appoint a registered/certified valuer, auctioneer or any other
person(s) or agency/body as may deem fit by the applicants to
ascertain the value of the affected items before they are disposed
of.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the interim
forfeiture of about 500 vessels, boats, barges, trucks, tankers and
motorcycles seized from alleged oil thieves nationwide.
The Federal Government had filed two ex-parte applications, seeking
the forfeiture of the items and these were granted by Justice
Nnamdi Dimgba on August 10 after taking arguments from applicants’
lawyer, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN).

The applications are marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/741/2017 and
FHC/ABJ/CS/742/2017

The affected items and their consignments, according to court
documents, were seized from alleged oil thieves by the Nigerian
Navy and the Inspector General of Police (IGP)’s Special Task Force
on Petroleum/Illegal Bunkering.

By the ruling of the court, certified true copies of which The
Nation sighted in Abuja on Monday, the owners of the affected items
and the consignments have been given 14 days to show cause why the
items should not be forfeited to the federal government
permanently.

Part of the ruling reads: “That order of interim forfeiture is
hereby granted to the first applicant – FRN -, of all the items
listed in the schedule attached to this motion, marked as Exhibits
OB1 – OB3, including, but not limited to vessels, barges, boats,
laden cargo pending the final determination of the originating
motion on notice.

“That order of interim forfeiture is hereby granted to the first
applicant – FRN – of all the items listed in the schedule attached
to this motion, marked as Exhibit BB1, including, but not limited
to motor vehicles (trucks, tankers, buses, cars and cycles –
tricycles and motorcycles) and the goods/products contained
therein, pending the final determination of the originating motion
on notice.”

The court also granted an order allowing the applicants to
appoint a registered/certified valuer, auctioneer or any other
person(s) or agency/body as may deem fit by the applicants to
ascertain the value of the affected items before they are disposed
of.