LAGOS — The United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the US Navy, has intercepted a Nigerian-owned supertanker, Skipper, over allegations of crude oil theft, piracy, and other transnational crimes.
The vessel, a 20-year-old Very Large Crude Carrier, VLCC, with IMO Number 9304667, is reportedly owned and managed by Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd., though its registered owner is listed as Triton Navigation Corp., headquartered in the Marshall Islands.
Authorities said the tanker was illegally flying the Guyanese flag at the time of its arrest.
In a swift rebuttal, Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department, MARAD, confirmed that Skipper is not on its national ship registry and was using the country’s flag without authorization
According to US security sources, the seizure was carried out under American law enforcement authority, with President Donald Trump announcing the operation.
Beyond suspicions of stolen crude, the vessel is also being investigated for allegedly transporting a large consignment of hard drugs and operating within a network backed by suspected Iranian and other Islamist-linked money-laundering financiers.
A check with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Abuja, showed that Thomarose is inactive.
Further checks by Vanguard showed that Thomarose’s corporate address is listed as 111 Jakpa Road, Effurun, Warri, Delta State, with CAC registration number 1007876.
However, there are no phone numbers linked to the company.
Reacting to the seizure, the President of the Centre for Marine Surveyors, Nigeria, Engr. Akin Olaniyan, said that if the vessel indeed departed from Nigeria before being intercepted, it would indicate weaknesses in Nigeria’s Port State Control regime.
According to him, “If the vessel emanated from Nigeria, it suggests our Port State Control is practically non-existent. It also means any vessel leaving Nigerian waters may come under stricter scrutiny by Port State Control authorities in other countries. This issue has nothing to do with Nigeria as a country, but with regulatory enforcement.”
…One Student Rescued – Police
Gunmen on Tuesday attacked Government Secondary School, Odo-Ekina, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, abducting four students, the school principal and a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc staff member.
The attack occurred at about 5:25 p.m. while the students were writing their NECO examination. according to the Kogi State Police Command.
Confirming the incident, the State Police spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, said one of the abducted students has been rescued, while efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims and apprehend the attackers.
She said that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, alongside the Brigade Commander and the State Security Adviser to the Governor, Commodore Jerry Omodara (Rtd), are already on the way to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.
The police said a more detailed statement would be issued as additional verified information becomes available.
Source: Vanguard
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has fixed the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, at $0.779 per litre as it officially transitioned to a dollar-denominated pricing system for refined petroleum products.
The new pricing template, which took effect on Monday, July 13, 2026, also pegs Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) at $1.087 per litre and aviation fuel at $0.942 per litre, while coastal deliveries of petrol have been priced at $1,044.62 per metric tonne.
The move effectively ends naira payments for petrol, diesel and aviation fuel purchased from the refinery, marking a significant shift from the naira-based transactions introduced under the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude policy, which commenced on October 1, 2024.
In a notice to petroleum marketers and customers, the refinery said all previously issued naira-denominated Proforma Invoices (PFIs) and Deal Recaps for both gantry and coastal transactions had become invalid.
The notice, signed by the refinery’s Group Commercial Operations, stated: “Following our email of July 9, 2026, regarding the transition from naira to United States dollars (USD), please note that all issued naira coastal and gantry PFIs/Deal Recaps are now invalid, and no payments should be made against them.
“The applicable USD prices for each product, effective today, July 13, 2026, are provided below.”
Under the revised pricing template, petrol sold through the gantry will cost $0.779 per litre, diesel $1.087 per litre, aviation fuel $0.942 per litre, while coastal PMS supplies will sell for $1,044.62 per metric tonne.
The refinery, however, clarified that the transition does not affect Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) transactions.
“Also note that this transition to USD does not apply to LPG transactions,” the notice added.
Industry sources said the change was necessitated by an increasing mismatch between the currency used to purchase crude oil and the currency in which refined products were being sold.
According to one source familiar with the development, Dangote Refinery now receives a significant portion of its crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under dollar-denominated supply arrangements, while a large volume of refined products has continued to be sold domestically in naira.
The source said the imbalance had heightened the refinery’s exposure to foreign exchange risks.
Another industry official explained that the refinery had received fewer crude cargoes under the naira-for-crude arrangement in recent months, making it commercially necessary to align product sales with the currency used for crude procurement.
“Dangote Refinery is receiving fewer naira-denominated crude cargoes from NNPCL than dollar-denominated cargoes, while a larger volume of its petroleum products has been sold in naira.
“The resulting currency mismatch, combined with volatility in international crude oil prices and continued exchange-rate uncertainty, made it necessary to migrate product sales to dollars,” the source said.
The development is expected to have far-reaching implications for petroleum marketers, many of whom source products directly from the refinery for nationwide distribution.
It also raises fresh questions about the future of the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude initiative, which was introduced to strengthen domestic refining, reduce pressure on foreign exchange demand and help stabilise fuel prices.
Although the refinery has fixed a dollar benchmark for product sales, the retail pump price of petrol across the country will continue to depend on several factors, including the prevailing naira-dollar exchange rate, international crude oil prices, transportation and logistics costs, regulatory charges and marketers’ margins.
With Dangote Refinery now accounting for a substantial share of Nigeria’s refined petroleum supply, industry stakeholders are expected to closely monitor how the new pricing regime influences fuel prices and competition in the deregulated downstream petroleum market.
Source: Tribune
The Hydrographer of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hydrographic Agency (NHA), Rear Admiral OO Fadahunsi, has been elected Vice Chairman of the Eastern Atlantic Hydrographic Commission (EAtHC) for the 2026–2028 term, further reinforcing Nigeria’s growing influence in regional and global maritime governance.
Rear Admiral Fadahunsi’s election was confirmed on Friday, 3 July 2026, during the ongoing EAtHC Conference in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where member states endorsed his emergence to one of the commission’s most strategic leadership positions.
Established on 26 November 1984 under the auspices of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the Eastern Atlantic Hydrographic Commission was founded by France, Nigeria, Portugal and Spain. Over the past four decades, the commission has expanded significantly, comprising 11 member states, 10 associate members and six observers committed to promoting hydrographic excellence across the Eastern Atlantic region.
The commission plays a pivotal role in advancing hydrography, nautical cartography and maritime safety through capacity-building initiatives, the development and implementation of International (INT) Charts and Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) schemes, improved hydrographic surveys, enhanced charting standards, effective dissemination of nautical information and sustained advocacy on the importance of hydrography to regional maritime development.
Since its inaugural conference in Paris, France, in April 1986, the EAtHC has convened biennially to strengthen collaboration among member states and chart the future of hydrographic development.
In another significant endorsement of Nigeria’s expanding maritime profile, the country has been selected to host the next EAtHC Conference in June 2028. Nigeria will also host the 25th Meeting of the Capacity Building Sub-Committee (CBSC25) and the 19th Meeting of the Inter-Regional Coordination Committee (IRCC19) in June 2027, positioning the country at the centre of major international hydrographic engagements.
Rear Admiral Fadahunsi’s election is widely regarded as a testament to Nigeria’s sustained investment in hydrographic development, maritime safety and regional cooperation. It also reflects growing international confidence in the National Hydrographic Agency’s contributions to safer navigation, marine resource management and the blue economy.
As Nigeria prepares to welcome leading hydrographers, maritime regulators and technical experts from across the world over the next two years, the country is poised to consolidate its reputation as a key driver of hydrographic innovation and maritime security in the Eastern Atlantic region.
Top APC Governor Announces Running Mate for 2027
Tinubu Announces Two Top Appointments, Names Revealed
“Irreparable Loss”: Tears as Prominent APC Chieftain Dies
BREAKING: Atiku in Strong Trouble As Court Gives Fresh Verdict on ADC Crisis
Dangote Refinery Fixes Petrol Price in New Pricing Template
Tension as Wike, Tinubu’s Allies Clash Over Top Agency’s Appointment
Niger Governor Bago Announces Running Mate For 2027 Election
Muslim- Muslim Ticket: Former Speaker Breaks Silence on Dumping APC
