The Nigerian Navy has described the allegations of fraud against the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, as untenable and baseless.
Report a report had circulated the media, accusing the Naval Chief of facilitating an unorganised bunkering of Nigerian crude, release of several oil tankers impounded for transporting stolen crude oil off Nigerian shores after receiving kickbacks in millions of dollars.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, had said that the allegations against Ogalla would be investigated.
However, the Nigerian Navy, in a statement by the Director of Information, Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, denied the allegations against Ogalla, insisting that the arrested vessels mentioned in the report were involved in crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering, noting that they have not been released as alleged.
He said such antics and propaganda are expected considering the current success recorded in the fight against oil theft, assuring Nigerians that the blackmail would not distract the service in their resolve to deny oil thieves freedom in the country.
