THE FULL STORY..HOW THE NAVY ARRESTED THE 8 PIRATES.

The Ghana Navy on Saturday captured eight
pirates involved in the hijacking of a crude oil
tanker on the high seas.
The pirates were armed but no one, including a
nine-member crew aboard MT Mariam, was
injured when the Ghana Navy crew aboard GNS
Blika effected the arrest 26 nautical miles south
east of Tema after the ship had drifted into
Ghanaian waters.
The owner of MT Mariam, Mr Nakase Sunday
told journalists in Tema that the hijacking
occurred at 5:00 am on January 11, 2014 at
Warri in Nigeria, adding that the vessel contains
approximately 1,500 metric tomes of crude oil
when it was captured by the pirates.
The hijackers seized the vessel and allegedly
drained it of its oil.
Mr. Nakase said the ship was en route to Togo
when it was captured. He said he immediately
flew into Ghana last Friday after he had
detected via a tracking system that the ship
had drifted into the Ghanaian waters and
quickly approached the Ghana Navy for
assistance.
He was full of commendation to the Ghana Navy
for the swift response which led to the capture
of all the pirates and saving the lives of his
crew and vessel, adding that though the
products were lost, he was glad the crew and
vessel were safe.
Identities
All eight pirates, identified to be Nigerians have
been brought ashore at Tema pending further
investigations. They are Molih Williams, 32;
Peggy Aki, 32; Ebiyaibo Amos, 32 and Molih
Klinsman, 31.
The rest are David Jacob, 30; Ayetimiyi Oyinle,
29; Pinamo Samiyo, 26 and Picolo John, 25.
Items retrieved
The Navy crew retrieved an amount of $1,270
and 43,850 Naira as well as four AK 47 assault
rifles, ten fully loaded AK47 magazines with a
total of 300 rounds of ammunition, one pump
action gun, 18 mobile phones, one digital
camera, one hair clipper, three hand held VHF
radio, seven wrist watches and other personal
belongings from the pirates.
MT Mariam has since docked at the Tema Port
and is under armed guard.
Briefing
Lt Commander Michael Duvor, Commanding
Officer of GNS Blika, said while on operational
duties on Saturday, they received information
on a pirate attack on MT Mariam from the
Acting Command Operations Officer, Lt
Commander Theophilus Kafui Agbemabiase.
He said the crew set sail at about 8:05 am and
on arrival deployed a search team into the ship
who conducted a thorough search of the vessel.
According to him, the pirates went into hiding
and a search led to the arrest of five in the
engine room and another three in the forecastle
section of the vessel.
He said the Navy crew boarded MT Mariam at
11:40 am and completed the operation at 3:00
pm.
Commendation
The Tema Metropolitan Security Council
Chairman, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten commended
the officers, men and women of the Eastern
Naval Command for remaining committed to
ensuring that Ghana’s territorial waters are
safe.
“Clearly, the navy has shown what they are
made of. They picked solid intelligence,
responded very fast and ensured that the safe
waters we have maintained over the years are
free of piracy and this arrest has given it a
further boost,” he said.
He also commended them for the professional
manner in which the Flag Officer Commanding,
Eastern Naval Command, Commodore Steve
Kwaku Darbo and his personnel discharge their
duties and stressed that he has no doubt that
the Ghana Navy and the allied agencies in the
Metropolis will live up to expectation.
Commodore Darbo said the command will
continue to work diligently to maintain security
both on land and at sea.