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EXCLUSIVE: Police Arrest, Detain 2 FPSO Tragic Vessel Fire Survivors On Behest Of SEPCOL
The Police Command in Ondo State has arrested and detained two survivors of the tragic explosion that engulfed the Ukpokiti Oil Field involving Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel, named ‘Trinity Spirit’ on behest of the management of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) in receivership, owners of the FPSO vessel.
Over 60, 000 barrels of oil were destroyed and spilled from the vessel which bursted in flame in early February.
BIGPENNGR exclusively gathered that the two survivors who were among the three crew members found alive out of ten crew-members on board the vessel during the incident have been in detention.
This newspaper authoritatively learnt that they were invited by the police for questioning on behest of management of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) but were detained for reasons yet to be established.
Sources disclosed that the two crew members have been languishing in police detention since their arrest without trial.
Chairman of Express Shebah Host Communities, Mr. Ikusemuya Igbekele, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with one of our correspondent but declined further comment on the matter.
When contacted, the Ondo State Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, who earlier said she was not sure of the information promised to verify and revert back to our correspondent.
She later called back late Thursday evening and in response to inquires during the telephone conversation, confirmed that two suspects who were crew members of the vessel were charged to court for alleged conspiracy and economic sabotage.
She, however, denied claims that the suspects have been languishing in jail without trial.
Local sources revealed that the oil firm led by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ikemefuna Okafor, has been evasive about the incident and have kept the arrest of the two crew members from public knowledge.
The source said that oil spillage remediation talk with local communities in the area had also failed overtime prompting the communities to petition the House of Representatives which is currently conducting a public hearing on the incident.
It was learnt that the management of SEPCOL where no-show at the last public hearing at the national assembly.
In his last press update on the fire incident, Okafor had said five bodies were found in the vessel with unauthorized persons also on board.
BIGPENNGR gathered that one of the crew member who died was actually off duty but for reasons yet to be fathom joined the crew on board and died.
His wife, it was gathered, has been breathing on the neck of the company to produce her husband, insisting that she doesn’t know how her husband who was on leave died onboard the vessel which went up in flame early February.
Efforts to get comment from the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ikemefuna Okafor were unsuccessful as of press time on Thursday but Okafor had earlier said that the FPSO vessel had 10 crew members on board during the incident. As at February 7, 2022, three crew members were found dead, while three others were rescued.
Okafor said that since February 3, when the fire was contained, the company had been working relentlessly with relevant authorities, agencies, experts, and the communities, focused on search and rescue of the 10 crew members.
According to him, the company had also prioritised police Investigations and environmental damage assessment.
“We have kept up the search and rescue efforts, with the collaboration of the police, NUPRC, NIMASA, NOSDRA, marine police, the communities, and local fishermen. The community leaders and traditional rulers have also been of great support.
“We have been in regular contact with the three survivors and their family members and ensured that all three received appropriate medical care in hospital. They have all been discharged from hospital and the company has continuously offered support with any post-trauma care that may be required,” it noted.
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