A United States-based shipping firm has formally called on Nigeria's top police officer to intervene in a bitter dispute involving its oil tanker, which it claims was illegally seized and destroyed with the alleged backing of military personnel.
Charter Dispute Escalates to Threats and Seizure
NUJENIX Corporation, acting for its Israeli-American CEO Mr. Eial Golan Yachiel, has submitted a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. The company detailed a series of alarming events concerning its motor tanker, MT Thor, which is registered in Florida.
The vessel was handed over to a Nigerian firm, Sub-Sea 9 Ocean Services Ltd, under a bareboat charter agreement that commenced on January 1, 2021. The deal required semi-annual payments of $912,500. However, NUJENIX alleges the operator defaulted, paying only $25,000.
The situation deteriorated when, after taking possession, the operator became unreachable. The company's lawyers, S.D. Omede Esq. and P.O. Onucheyo Esq., stated in the petition that their client then received direct threats. "He threatened that our client would be kidnapped, killed or die mysteriously if he set foot in Nigeria," the legal team claimed.
Alleged Military Interference Halts Police Investigation
During a briefing with journalists in Abuja, company counsel Mr. Peter Onucheyo alleged that the police investigation was unlawimately disrupted. He claimed that personnel of the Nigerian Army, acting in support of a principal suspect, intimidated involved parties, interfered with police operations, and took custody of the MT Thor.
"This matter has gone beyond a civil dispute," Onucheyo declared. "It is no longer about business. It is about alleged threats, unlawful detention and the use of force."
He further alleged that even after court processes began, police attempts to make arrests were frustrated by the presence of armed men. "When the police went to carry out their lawful duties, they were reportedly stopped," he said.
Vessel Found Stripped and Unseaworthy in Delta State
The petition claims the tanker was taken to Koko, near Warri in Delta State, where it was guarded before being abandoned in a severely damaged state. "They allegedly hid the vessel there, and over time it was vandalised and stripped of vital components," Onucheyo explained, adding that the MT Thor is now "a shadow of what it used to be."
NUJENIX Corporation asserts that the MT Thor has been stripped of key navigational and bunker equipment, rendering it completely unseaworthy. "Presently, the vessel is damaged beyond repair and is no longer seaworthy due to the alleged criminal acts of the suspects," the petition stated. The company attached photographic evidence comparing the vessel's condition at delivery in January 2021 to its current state.
A particularly serious allegation involves a gunboat. The petition claims that when marine police tried to tow the vessel from Koko to a secure facility, a gunboat allegedly manned by Nigerian Army personnel intervened and took control from the officers. This action was allegedly influenced by a suspect who claimed ownership of the jetty.
Citing threats to life and property, NUJENIX has urgently requested the IGP's intervention to ensure justice. As of the report date of December 17, 2025, the Nigerian Army and other named parties had not issued official responses to these allegations.
