The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has lifted embargo placed on 113 vessels from lifting crude and gas in any of its terminals within Nigerian territorial waters.
The corporation explained in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Ohi Alegbe, on Thursday that the lifting of the embargo is subject to the receipt of ‘Letters of Comfort’ from all terminal operators, oil companies and off-takers in Nigerian Oil and Gas sector. “The lifting is subject to the outcome of detailed investigation into the reasons why they were embargoed,” it said.
NNPC equally disclosed that Federal Government has approved the establishment of an Inter-Agency Committee to investigate the vessels. The committee, it said, is made up of the Department of State Services, (DSS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Navy, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the NNPC.
“The Inter-Agency Committee will appraise the culpability or otherwise of each of the vessels in the time past and advise appropriately,’’ the corporation disclosed.
The vessels were banned recently after they were found to have engaged in alleged shady deal in the lifting of crude within the terminals.
By Olisemeka Obeche
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