A United States-based shipping company has formally appealed to Nigeria's top police officer, Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun, following the alleged illegal takeover, extended detention, and deliberate vandalism of its oil tanker, the MT Thor. The firm, NUJENIX Corporation, has raised serious allegations of intimidation and obstruction by armed individuals, transforming a commercial dispute into a significant security concern.
Contractual Dispute Escalates into Security Crisis
According to the petition filed by the company's legal representatives, S.D. Omede and P.O. Onucheyo, the trouble began with a bareboat charter agreement. The vessel, registered in Florida, USA, was handed over to a Nigerian firm, Sub Sea 9 Ocean Services Ltd, on January 1, 2021. The contract stipulated a payment of $912,500 every six months.
However, NUJENIX claims the charterer breached the agreement almost immediately after taking possession of the MT Thor. Only $25,000 was paid, according to the petition, before communications broke down completely. The situation turned threatening when the company's principal, Israeli-American CEO Mr. Eial Golan Yachiel, allegedly received death threats warning him not to come to Nigeria.
Alleged Armed Interference and Police Obstruction
Briefing journalists in Abuja, company counsel Mr. Peter Onucheyo stated that the matter had moved far beyond a simple business disagreement. He accused certain individuals, backed by armed personnel, of repeatedly blocking police investigations and frustrating legal processes.
"When the police went to carry out their lawful duties, they were reportedly stopped," Onucheyo claimed. He emphasized that the core issue is now about alleged threats to life, unlawful detention, and the use of force to undermine the rule of law.
The Vessel: Stripped and Abandoned in Delta State
The petition provides a detailed account of the tanker's fate. It alleges that the MT Thor was secretly moved to Koko, near Warri in Delta State. After being guarded for a period, it was eventually abandoned in a severely damaged condition.
The company asserts that the vessel was systematically vandalized. Key components, including crucial navigational and bunker equipment, were stripped away, rendering the multi-million dollar tanker unseaworthy and beyond economic repair. NUJENIX attached photographic evidence comparing the vessel's state at delivery in 2021 to its current ruined condition.
In a particularly dramatic allegation, the petition states that when marine police officers attempted to tow the vessel to a secure location, a gunboat allegedly manned by Nigerian Army personnel intervened and took control of the tanker.
NUJENIX has urgently called on the Inspector General of Police to intervene, citing the need to protect property and investigate the serious threats made against its CEO. At the time of the report, the Nigerian Army and the other parties named had not publicly responded to these allegations.
