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Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by Nobody: 9:37am On Apr 09, 2016 |
A Europe-bound motor tanker, MT
CENTENARY, marked 883671710 and
laden with 250,000 barrels of crude oil
was sailing through Nigeria’s Eastern
waters on Sunday, March 20, when an
eight-man pirate gang hijacked it.
The hijackers who suppressed the vessel’s
11-man crew comprising two Philippinos,
five Ghanaians and four Nigerians,
navigated the ship between Opobo and
Ikot-Abasi waters in Uyo, in a bid to
siphon its contents.
Fortunately, the ship’s Captain, Das
Macfish, with the aid of his private
Thuraya phone, radioed the Nigerian Navy
Ship (NNS) OKPABANA, informing the
warship of its predicament, stating that
the pirates were in charge of the
command and control of the oil vessel.
Immediately the captain contacted the
navy ship, the Commanding Officer (CO)
NNS OKPABANA, Captain Olusegun
Ferreira, ordered the Special Boat
Services (SBS) elements to prepare for a
rescue mission.
As that was going on, the ship’s Executive
Officer (XO), Captain Abdulraman
Mohammed, tried to cajole the pirates to
disembark and not hurt the crew
members of the merchant vessel, but the
hijackers threatened fire and brimstones.
Hence, the SBS teams, after receiving
directives from the CO, were lowered
into the water, while the navy continued
to buy time by massaging the ego of the
pirates’ leader, a certain Don, who
remained adamant.
As the talks between the XO and Don
continued, the two boats conveying 16
SBS elements navigating against ocean
tides, headed towards the distressed
vessel, while Nigerian Navy Augusta
Helicopter 09, which flew for about 30
minutes from Naval Flying Unit, Ikot-
Abasi at a thousand feet above sea level
after it was contacted, landing onboard
the warship at about 10:30am to provide
air surveillance for the boarding party,
covered them.
Upon sighting the military men, the
pirates opened fire, injuring one of the
officers identified as Douglas. However,
one of the pirates was killed as the
operatives forcibly claimed the vessel in a
bid to save the crew members and
protect the nation’s territorial integrity.
Having successfully boarded the vessel
and rounded up the remaining seven
members of the gang, the SBS team
recovered eight AK47 rifles and 16
magazines with 200 rounds of 7.62mm
special ammunition. The naval team then
interrogated the occupants of the oil
vessel.
In the course of interrogation, it was
discovered that the oil tanker itself was
operating illegally, having forged
documents with which it lifted crude oil.
At that point, the rescue team arrested
the vessel and handed both its crew
members and the pirates to the Eastern
Naval Command (ENC) for appropriate
actions. |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by Nobody: 9:39am On Apr 09, 2016 |
Life onboard NNS OKPABANA At exactly 2:05pm on March 16, NNS OKPABANA commenced the voyage through the Atlantic Ocean from Onne Ports in Rivers State. Cabins were allocated, beddings issued and safety/ship rules read out to all civilians at the point of boarding by the XO. Sailing at a speed of six knots, the vessel gradually moved into dark waters where the ship spent seven of the 11 days, occasionally patrolling between BRASS, BONNY and OPOBO general areas. It was an intriguing experience, particularly at sunrise, watching the sun beam its rays across the ocean as it takes over from the moon. At 5:30 am, the beagle echoes from the bridge (ship’s control room) across every nook and cranny of the 115.4m long and 12.8m beam vessel, signaling the dawn of a new day. The next general announcement comes 15 minutes later telling everyone that fresh water would be pumped, which means aside bathing, everyone on board was expected to reserve the water they would need for the rest of the day. With a navigational draught and height of 7.9m and 38.6m respectively; speed of 29knots, nine decks, two anchors and nine shackles on the port and starboard, machine guns and a displacement of 3250, NNS OKPABANA has full capacity to effectively carry out its policing duties for 45 days in the high sea without coming ashore. But for the absence of telephone and Internet signals, as well as the restriction of movements onboard the floating iron for safety reasons, every activity onboard the ship was in line with military tradition. There is a well equipped gym at the base of the vessel, a laundry room, a barbing salon at the ship’s basement while table tennis, table soccer, chess, scrabble and other games are played at the helicopter hanger or the officers’ wardroom. Breakfast is served between 6:30 am and 8 am, lunch from 12:30pm to 2 pm and super time starts at 6 pm ending 8pm. The ship company has a roaster indicating what role each personnel must play at a particular time. Seven watches are kept each day by different people as the ship sails to avoid any security threat. At 8pm, the beagle announces the commencement of First Watch and those whose turn it is dress in their blue rigs, take positions at strategic areas in the ship where they stay till midnight, reporting every movement and object sighted. Then those on Middle Watch take over from 12 am to 4 am after which the people on Morning Watch continue till 8 am. From 8 am to 12 pm, personnel on Forenoon Watch hold sway, handing over to those on Afternoon Watch who take charge till 4 pm. However, from 4 pm to 8 pm, the watches are kept two hourly to ensure rotation and avoid a situation whereby the same set of people will keep same watches on a daily basis. Senior officers onboard NNS OKPABANA include incoming Fleet Commander, ENC, Commodore Rasaq Babalola; ENC’s Chief Operations Officer (COO), Commodore Adebayo Ayinde; Naval Headquarters’ (NHQ) observer Captain Richard Shammah; exercise’ information coordinator, Sulaiman Dahun. Aside the Obangame exercise, NNS OKPABANA had in-ship trainings on fire fighting, emergency evacuation (abandoning ship), man overboard and steering breakdown. The Marine Engineer Officer (MEO) Commander Joshua Daelung, while taking civilians on board for a tour, said the drills were routine and usually carried out whether alongside or at sea. He said: “We usually have drills and exercises whether at sea or alongside, so if there is a real life situation, we can tackle it. Although what you are seeing is simulated smoke, it tells the fire fighters and investigators what to expect in real situation. “First, a team of investigators go to find out the cause of fire. If the situation is within their control, they tackle it, but if it is beyond them, they will radio and the entire ship company becomes involved “Bridge, engine room and prepare lockers are the three compartments of the ship. They then share the three compartments and try to put out the fire. Meanwhile, the medicals are on ground to treat anyone injured. “If they still cannot solve the problem, then, preparations to abandon ship will commence, and all onboard will muster to the emergency station according to their life raft numbers, where the Commanding Officer will address everyone and give the directive to abandon ship.” Thrilled by the expertise exhibited by the navy on the high sea, a Nigerian Customs officer, Samuel Agholor, expressed confidence in its ability to effectively safeguard the nation’s waters. He said: “This exercise has exposed me to the capabilities of the NN and their ability to efficiently rescue hijacked vessels. I have also witnessed the proficiency of the SBS and I have no doubt that the marine unit of the Nigerian Customs will henceforth, communicate with the navy whenever we hear of similar distress. Before now, we have only been contacting the marine police because we patrol inland waters. “Despite being secluded from the rest of the world, I was able to get along socially and made many friends on the ship. It was a wonderful experience.” A lawyer from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who was on board the ship, said the experience had afforded him a better insight as to the resources, both human and material, expended to arrest a criminal vessel. “The navy usually hands over vessels involved in oil theft to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). We prosecute these vessels and suspected culprits. This exercise has further solidified the existing relationship between both agencies and it has exposed me to the rigours the Nigerian Navy go through to protect our resources and territorial integrity in the waters,” he said. A Deputy Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Danjuma Dadi, described the experience as an eye opener, appreciating the efforts being made by the navy to secure the nation’s waterways. On the evening of the seventh day, other observers from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Customs, EFCC and NSCDC, were disembarked from NNS OKPABANA with the use of a ladder into NNS CENTENARY’s small boat to return home, while NNS OKPABANA navigated through Bakassi, catching a glimpse of Mount Cameroon, the Limber seas and finally anchoring at the Douala Port for the closing ceremony. http://thenationonlineng.net/seven-days-high-sea-navy/ |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by Mack3N: 9:48am On Apr 09, 2016 |
Ok,pic nko |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by lecturerdabo(m): 9:51am On Apr 09, 2016 |
As my oga at the top R/adm AA Sule will say "Onward to Get Her I leave you to find out who the Her is" May the Almighty continue to grant our Galant sailors Fair Winds in Jesus Name |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by Nobody: 10:20am On Apr 09, 2016 |
I love the sea .......reporting live from Okpoama ,Brass Island . |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by giantstrides(m): 10:53am On Apr 09, 2016 |
Nigerdeltaboi: Nice one bro, I recognise ur face from fajuyi hall, OAU. |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by Nobody: 11:49am On Apr 09, 2016 |
giantstrides:yea bros , i stayed in fajuyi , final year then ...how far na ......greatest Ife |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by giantstrides(m): 12:15pm On Apr 09, 2016 |
Nigerdeltaboi: I'm good bro, been coming across ur posts on military topics since, so I decided to mssg u today. I think you were in the man o war brigade then ? Add me on 331626B3 let's chat there bro. |
Re: Seven Days On High Sea With Nigeria Navy by dBard: 12:15pm On Apr 09, 2016 |
Nice one @ ibnsultan. Y not make it in form of a diary for those interested in following up. The post on d ops of d sbs wasn't 'visual' enough. It's always nice to hear details of d exploits of our soldiers. Kudos n be safe |
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