 22 suspected crude oil thieves have been arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Navy along the Akasa River and Brass Local Government Area of Biosus State. The suspects and the vessel used in perpetrating the crime have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the EFCC, for persecution. A correspondent in Biosus State, Jesse Essay, covered today's handing over. This fall was intercepted on December 6, 2021, with 15 crew members on board for allegedly transporting about 700,000 litres of stolen crude. Investigation by operatives of Nigerian Navy ship NNS Oro led to the arrest of seven other collaborators. The Navy is not empowered to prosecute. This is a hand-over ceremony. We have established the fact that the vessel and a crew are complicit in crime that border on economic sabotage. As a result of that, we are here today to officially hand over the vessel and a crew to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission. We will be signing the handing over and taking over notes. The EFCC promises to do a thorough job in its investigation of the crime. The interception of the few vessels on the sea looked to be a major breakthrough for the Navy in 2021 as securing the nation's waterways and the resources therein still remains its core duty.