The Nigerian Navy has refuted allegations of corruption against the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, describing the claims as malicious, baseless, and false. On Saturday, the Director of Information at Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, stated addressing the accusations published by an online newspaper, People’s Gazette.
The online publication accused the CNS of accepting over $170 million in bribes and engaging in multi-billion naira contract splitting fraud over the last six months, prompting the federal government to launch a probe into the Naval Chief.
Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan dismissed the allegations as untenable, baseless, and untrue, asserting that the coordinated efforts to tarnish the reputation of the CNS were orchestrated by disgruntled elements affected by the Nigerian Navy’s intensified efforts against crude oil theft and illegal activities in the maritime domain.
He highlighted the recent launch of OPERATION DELTA SANITY, a comprehensive initiative to strengthen the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to combating crude oil theft and other forms of illegalities in the nation’s maritime environment.
The Director clarified that there are clear procedural requirements in the arrest, detention, and release of vessels or individuals involved in crimes in the maritime domain. He emphasized that all vessels implicated in crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering, as mentioned in the publication, are currently under investigation, contradicting the claim that any of them has been released.
Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan also debunked the assertion that the CNS awards or oversees oil bunkering contracts, noting that such decisions fall within the sole prerogative of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL). He emphasized that all contracts awarded by the Navy follow due process in accordance with the laws of the Federation.
In conclusion, Rear Admiral Ayo-Vaughan urged the public to disregard the “malicious publication” as it is “totally untrue and completely baseless,” stemming from the imagination of the writer, publishers, and their alleged sponsors. He affirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to ensuring the seamless operation of legitimate businesses in the maritime domain and emphasized that distractions would not deter the Navy’s resolve to confront criminals and uphold justice for the nation’s economic prosperity.
