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United States COAST GUARD, NAVY Seize Nigerian Large Supertanker ‘Skipper’ IMO Number 9304667 on High Seas over Crude Oil Theft, Piracy & Cocaine Smuggling

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*20-year-old vessel owned, managed by Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., listed as Triton Navigation Corp., with headquarters in the Marshall Islands....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

*Tanker on speed illegally had Guyanese flag at the time of its arrest, check with Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, showed Thomarose is registered non-active

*Operating within a network backed by suspected Iranian, other Islamist-linked money-laundering financiers

*“Skipper is not on our national ship registry and was using the country’s flag without authorisation”– Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department

*“If the vessel emanated from Nigeria, it suggests our Port State Control is practically non-existent”-President of the Centre for Marine Surveyors, Nigeria, Engr. Akin Olaniyan

*“Seizure was carried out under American law enforcement authority, with President Donald Trump announcing the operation”-U. S Department of Transportation

*BY CHARLOTTE CREAMER/INTERNATIONAL MARITIME EDITOR, MARSHALL ISLANDS, NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER INC USA

WITH LASER FOCUSED plans to cleanse the Nigerian maritime system and put an end to the nefarious activities of pirates, oil theft and hard drug smugglers operating on the high seas, the United States Coastal Guard and the American Navy set up a tracker to monitor these criminals. Their vigilance paid off when the United States maritime security intercepted a Nigerian-owned supertanker called ‘Skipper’, over allegations of crude oil theft, piracy, and Cocaine transaction.

The vessel, a 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier, VLCC, with IMO Number 9304667, is reportedly owned and managed by Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., though its registered owner is listed as Triton Navigation Corp., headquartered in the Marshall Islands.

Authorities said the tanker was illegally flying the Guyanese flag at the time of its arrest.

In a swift rebuttal, Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department, MARAD, confirmed that Skipper is not on its national ship registry and was using the country’s flag without authorisation.

According to security sources within the United States Department of Transportation, the seizure was carried out under American law enforcement authority, with President Donald Trump announcing the operation.

Beyond suspicions of stolen crude, the vessel is also being investigated for allegedly transporting a large consignment of hard drugs in the form of Cocaine and operating within a network backed by suspected Iranian and other Islamist-linked money-laundering financiers.

A check with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Abuja, showed that Thomarose was registered in Nigeria, presently in a non-active status.

Reacting to the seizure, the President of the Centre for Marine Surveyors, Nigeria, Engr. Akin Olaniyan, said that if the vessel indeed departed from Nigeria before being intercepted, it would indicate weaknesses in Nigeria’s Port State Control regime.

According to him, “If the vessel emanated from Nigeria, it suggests our Port State Control is practically non-existent. It also means any vessel leaving Nigerian waters may come under stricter scrutiny by Port State Control authorities in other countries. This issue has nothing to do with Nigeria as a country, but with regulatory enforcement.”

Similarly, the National President of Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, OGSPAN, Mazi Colman Obasi, said: “I have never heard that Nigeria has a supertanker and that it is not active in CAC. I don’t even know if stakeholders are aware. Anyway, the government and other agencies can do more.”

Speaking also, President of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, SOAN, Otunba Sola Adewumi, noted that he could not comment on the seizure of the vessel as he was yet to receive sufficient details about the circumstances surrounding its arrest.

He appealed for more time to ascertain the vessel’s ownership and registration status.

Nigeria lost 13.5m barrels of crude worth $3.3bn to theft, sabotage in one year-NEITI

Earlier this year, it came to light that the Federal Government lost a total of 13.5 million barrels of crude oil worth $3.3 billion to theft and pipeline sabotage between 2023 and 2024. Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Ogbonnanya Orji, disclosed in Lagos at the 2025 Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) conference in Lagos on October 7.

He spoke on the theme, ‘Nigeria’s Energy Future: Exploring Opportunities and Addressing Risks for Sustainable Growth.’

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Sanusi will lead Sallah Durbar in Kano – Gov’t

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The Kano State Government has announced that the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, will lead this year’s Eid-el-Fitr Durbar, even as it unveiled strict guidelines to prevent a breakdown of law and order during the celebrations.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The government said the decision, approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, followed credible intelligence reports indicating attempts by some individuals to create unrest during the Sallah period.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the government said it remained committed to preserving Kano’s cultural heritage but would prioritise peace and security.

According to the statement, Hawan Idi (Eid Durbar) will be conducted by Emir Sanusi from the Kofar Mata Eid Ground through designated routes to Gidan Shettima, terminating at Kofar Fatalwa of the emir’s palace.

It added that Hawan Nasarawa would be held in a modified form without horseback displays, while Hawan Daushe, Hawan Fanisau and Hawan Dorayi have been suspended for the time being in the interest of public safety.

The government said all security agencies had been directed to intensify surveillance and ensure strict compliance with the directives before, during and after the festive period.

It urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding and cooperative with security agencies, while cautioning against the spread of unverified information.

The government further assured the public of its commitment to a peaceful and hitch-free Sallah celebration, wishing Muslims in the state a joyous Eid-el-Fitr.

The Durbar, a centuries-old cultural procession, has been thrown into uncertainty following conflicting statements from government officials on whether it will hold this year, given the unresolved legal battle between Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero.

While Governor Yusuf reinstated Sanusi II in 2024, Bayero continues to contest his dethronement in court, leaving the emirship in dispute.

The government recently hinted that the stool controversy would soon be resolved.

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2027: Igboho dismisses Sowore’s comment on ‘transactional politics’

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Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has dismissed comments by human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over what he described as transactional politics and activism.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

PUNCH Online reports that Sowore’s comment followed a viral video in which the activist criticised what he described as “transactional politics” among some regional agitators and influencers, accusing them of aligning with political actors for personal or material benefit.

In the video, Sowore appeared to reference Igboho, suggesting that his recent political positions, including support for President Bola Tinubu’s potential re-election bid, reflected what he termed “amala politics” — a colloquial expression often used to imply opportunistic or interest-driven engagement rather than principled activism.

Igboho, in a statement issued by his media aide, Olayomi Koiki, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday, criticised Sowore for allegedly describing his activism as “amala politics” in a recent viral video circulating on social media.

He described the comment as an inconsequential rant that should be ignored by the public.

Igboho argued that his agitation for improved security in the South-West and his support for the second-term bid of President Bola Tinubu in 2027 were constitutional rights aimed at promoting the collective interests of the Yoruba people and the development of Nigeria.

He said, “We strongly reject the characterisation of Igboho’s activism as transactional. Such a myopic position misrepresents the intent and focus of our agitation on effective grassroots security in the South-West and Nigeria as a whole.

“How many protests did Sowore organise to push for my freedom? Sowore’s claim of fighting for the masses contradicts his alleged daily lodging expenses of N450,000 at a popular Lagos hotel.

“I cannot be compelled to endorse political figures such as Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar, or even align with Sowore’s political platform. I have the right to make independent political decisions based on the security and collective interests of the Yoruba people.”

He added that Igboho’s advocacy prioritises addressing insecurity across Yorubaland, including killings of farmers, kidnappings along highways and attacks on traditional rulers and royal institutions.

Koiki, however, clarified that these concerns form the basis of Igboho’s movement rather than any ambition for political office or revolutionary leadership.

The statement added, “While Sowore has consistently promoted nationwide revolution as a pathway to leadership, Igboho’s approach is rooted in protecting lives, land and property within Yoruba territory. This agitation is a response to real and ongoing threats faced by communities in the region.

“Latest security incidents in northern Nigeria, including reported explosions in Maiduguri on March 16, 2026, also raise questions about the broader effectiveness of long-term revolutionary advocacy.

“We challenge Sowore to assess the situation in his home state of Ondo State, considering the growing cases of banditry, kidnapping and attacks on rural communities.”

The statement added that the impact of insecurity on vulnerable groups, including farmers, traditional rulers, women and children, had been severe, with several communities reportedly affected.

“These realities reinforce Igboho’s long-standing call since 2020 for localised security measures and stronger regional protection strategies.

“Labelling our agitation and efforts as ‘amala politics’ undermines the urgency of the security crisis and the legitimacy of grassroots agitation,” the statement concluded

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Aisha, Deji, Atiku’s aide, Ibe fume over continuous detention of El-Rufai

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The continuous detention of the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has sparked reactions from politicians and socio-political activists.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

DAILY POST reports that the former governor has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over an ongoing investigation into alleged financial impropriety when he was governor.

El-Rufai had earlier spent two nights in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before he was picked up by the Department of State Services and then later handed over to the ICPC.

His continuous detention has sparked outrage among citizens who are calling on the commission to immediately charge the former governor to court.

Popular socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu, said in a post on X that “holding a citizen indefinitely without trial” is impossible.

According to her, “that is not justice. That is not accountability. That begins to look like persecution.

“Every Nigerian, no matter how powerful or unpopular, has the right to a fair hearing. That right is not a favour from the government. It is a constitutional guarantee. If El-Rufai committed crimes, then prosecute him. Nigerians will support that. But what we must never
Support is a system where the government can detain anyone endlessly, simply because it can.

“Today, it may be El-Rufai. Tomorrow, it could be anyone else who speaks or acts in a way that those in power do not like. A democracy must be better than that.

“So the message is simple: charge him in court or release him. Let justice be done openly, lawfully, and transparently. That is the only way a nation that claims to respect the rule of law should act”.

Similarly, an activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, in an interview he posted on X on Wednesday, demanded that the former governor be charged to court immediately, condemning El-Rufai’s incarceration.

“No matter the allegations, I think he should be charged in a court of competent jurisdiction so that he can face the music.

“All these things currently going on don’t look tidy to me”, he said.

On his part, Paul Ibe, a media aide to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, lambasted ICPC for not charging the former governor to court.

In a statement on his X handle, Ibe accused the Commission of taking sides with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

He wrote, “The matter of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai @elrufai has proven beyond measure that the ‘I’ in ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) @icpcnigeria represents Illegal or Irresponsible.

“There’s nothing Independent about the Commission. They’re no different from all the other institutions of state that are standing on Tinubu’s mandate. The ICPC is nauseatingly pliable and has disgracefully made itself available in coercing members of the opposition into the ruling party”!

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