By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
Nigeria’s maritime authorities have moved swiftly to shut down claims linking the country to a high-profile U.S. Naval interception, declaring that the vessel at the centre of the controversy has no legal or operational ties to Nigeria.
In a strongly worded clarification on Thursday, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) stated that the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Skipper, recently intercepted by the United States Coast Guard with support from the U.S. Navy, is neither Nigerian-flagged nor owned by any company registered with Nigeria’s maritime regulator.
The intervention follows widespread media reports alleging that the vessel bearing IMO Number 9304667was Nigerian-owned and involved in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes.
NIMASA said those claims are false.
No Nigerian Flag, No Nigerian Owner
According to the agency, Skipper does not fly the Nigerian flag, and its purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
“This vessel has no registration, ownership or flag-state connection to Nigeria,” the agency stressed, effectively distancing the country from the alleged criminal activity surrounding the tanker.
The clarification is significant at a time when Nigeria is under intense international scrutiny over maritime security, oil theft and transnational crime in the Gulf of Guinea.
NIMASA disclosed that it had independently tracked the vessel’s movements using its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre, a key surveillance tool for monitoring maritime traffic.
Data from the system shows that Skipper was last sighted in Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
After exiting the country’s maritime domain, the tanker followed an international voyage pattern, operating first in the Arabian Sea before moving into the Caribbean, where U.S. authorities eventually intercepted it.
The agency’s analysis suggests that the vessel’s activities outside Nigerian waters fall entirely beyond its jurisdiction.
Further records reviewed by NIMASA reveal that Skipper has a complex ownership history.
The tanker was formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp and has undergone multiple name changes over time, a pattern often associated with attempts to obscure ownership and operational accountability in global shipping.
While NIMASA did not speculate on motive, the disclosure adds another layer to the unfolding investigation being led by U.S. authorities.
Reacting to the development, NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation in maritime security and criminal investigations.
He said the agency would work closely with U.S. authorities and other relevant stakeholders as investigations continue, stressing that Nigeria will not shield criminal elements operating within or outside its waters.
“Criminality will not be tolerated in Nigerian waters,” Mobereola said, underscoring the agency’s determination to protect the integrity of the country’s maritime domain.
The clarification appears aimed at protecting Nigeria’s international maritime standing, particularly as the country intensifies efforts to clean up its shipping registry, combat oil theft and reassure global partners of its commitment to lawful maritime operations.
By publicly disowning the vessel and backing its position with surveillance data, NIMASA has drawn a clear line: Skipper may be at the centre of a global investigation but it is not Nigeria’s ship.
