Nigerian Navy condemns viral video concerning warship in distress, read riot against perpetrator
By Halima Abdulkadiri
The Nigerian Navy has condemned in totality a derogatory video circulating on social media platforms from an unidentified crew member of MV PACESETTER station that the Nigerian Navy ship NNS THUNDER is in a terrible and helpless situation at the sea.
The Navy called on the general public to jettison the video in totality.
The Director of information for the Navy Commodore Ayo Vaughan in a press statement condemned the act of the crew member saying his actions are “mischievous, distasteful, unpatriotic and most undesirable as it is capable of putting the families of the ship’s crew in a state of anxiety.”
The unidentified member of the MV PACESETTER released a video saying the NNS THUNDER was in distress and their ship was dispatched to rescue the ship and possibly evacuate the crew or tow it.
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In the video, he lamented why the Nigerian Navy warship should be in such a terrible and helpless situation at sea calling on Nigerians to vote for a particular presidential candidate otherwise, the country will sink just like the NNS THUNDER.
Reacting to the video, the Nigerian Navy said the ship was at sea proceeding for exercise OBANGAME Express 2023 when she was reported to be experiencing water ingress and sent a distress call to the Naval Base Warri and other vessels within the vicinity.
“The ship sent out a distress call to MNS DELTA, Naval Base Warri as well as other vessels within the vicinity for possible assistance.
“consequently, NNS DELTA forward operating Base FOB ESCAVOS which are NN units nearby as well as Motor Tanker MT UGO and MV PACESETTER.
According to the commanding officer of NNS THUNDER, the situation is under control as against the mischievous video circulated by the MV PACESETTER crew member.
The navy said the situation was not peculiar to NN THUNDER noting that vessels could experience distress at sea from factors beyond human control.
“Incidents and emergencies develop at sea. It is for this reason among others that the United Nations Convention of the law of the sea (1982) Article 98 ‘Duty to Render Assistance at sea was enacted as an obligation to all seafarers Internationally.
“The state of NNS THUNDER is not as adduced by the crew member of MV PACESETTER, because while making the video the ship which was in the background was not sinking.
The Nigerian Navy advised the public to desist from involving the force in any form of politics before, during and after the election with a promise to focus on her statutory responsibility of safeguarding the nation’s maritime environment.
