Corporation lifts embargo on 113 crude oil vessels

September 11, 2015 12:17 AM

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Public Affairs, (NNPC) on Thursday in Lagos.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it has lifted embargo placed on 113 vessels from lifting crude and gas in any of its terminals within Nigerian territorial waters.

Read: Body begins process of recovering $9.6bn owed Nigeria

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Public Affairs, (NNPC) on Thursday in Lagos.

According to the statement, 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.

It said the lifting is subject to the outcome of detailed investigation into the reasons why they were embargoed.

The corporation noted that in view of the above, the Federal Government has approved the establishment of an Inter-Agency Committee to investigate the vessels.

The committee is made up of the Department of State Services, (DSS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, 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 NNPC stated.

Read: 'New refineries will not be sold' - NNPC boss assures

The vessels were banned recently after they were found to have engage in alleged shady deal in the lifting of crude within the terminals.