A
SHIPPING and marine-related service provider, Leymond Shipping
Investment Company Limited, has slammed a N20 billion suit against the
Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA), over alleged wanton destruction of its vessels.
In the suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, the plaintiff (Leymond Shipping Investment) wants the court to mandate the defendants (Nigerian Navy and NIMASA) to forthwith return its vessels at the Liberty Jetty, Marina, and Lagos.
The plaintiff also wants the court to compel the defendants to pay it another N1 million, being cost of the legal action.
According to a statement of claim filed by its counsel, Tunde Esan, the plaintiff stated that sometimes in 2004, it met with officials of the Nigerian Navy, and they held preliminary talks with a view to entering into a contract to provide a tugboat and other vessels to salvage and clear abandoned vessels and other wrecks from the Marina Defence Jetty in Lagos, in preparation for the visit of the President to the Naval Dockyard and the naval Fleet in Lagos.
The preliminary talks, according to Esan centered on the capacity of the plaintiff to provide heavy duty pumps and suction hoses to rescue a Naval vessel known as “NNS Aradu”, which was partially submerged at the Naval Dockyard prior to the Presidential visit.
Esan stressed that his client subsequently entered into a contract with the Nigerian Navy in that regard. The contract was dated January 14, 2005.
In line with the terms of the contract, Esan added that the plaintiff deployed its vessels namely: Submersible Floating Dock, a Tugboat and a Floating Crane Vessel.
However, the plaintiff averred that before it completed the execution of the contract, its vessels became trapped on all sides.
It explained specifically that the vessels became trapped at a startboard by the Defence Jetty, and to its port and rear by arrested and sunken bunkering vessels, as well as immediately to its bow by sunken oil vessel belonging to Chief Rashid Ladoja, former Governor of Oyo State.
All the vessels, which trapped the plaintiff’s vessels, were said to be under the control and authority of both the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA.
The plaintiff alleged that the vessels were trapped due to the deliberate negligent act of the Nigerian Navy, and that despite several entreaties to the Naval authority, it failed to remove the said vessels, which were mostly wrecks and abandoned vessels.
The plaintiff further stated that the entrapment of its vessels and eventual wanton damage frustrated it from deploying them to other income generating businesses, and it eventually suffered loss of income as a result.
No date has yet been fixed for hearing on the suit.
In the suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, the plaintiff (Leymond Shipping Investment) wants the court to mandate the defendants (Nigerian Navy and NIMASA) to forthwith return its vessels at the Liberty Jetty, Marina, and Lagos.
The plaintiff also wants the court to compel the defendants to pay it another N1 million, being cost of the legal action.
According to a statement of claim filed by its counsel, Tunde Esan, the plaintiff stated that sometimes in 2004, it met with officials of the Nigerian Navy, and they held preliminary talks with a view to entering into a contract to provide a tugboat and other vessels to salvage and clear abandoned vessels and other wrecks from the Marina Defence Jetty in Lagos, in preparation for the visit of the President to the Naval Dockyard and the naval Fleet in Lagos.
The preliminary talks, according to Esan centered on the capacity of the plaintiff to provide heavy duty pumps and suction hoses to rescue a Naval vessel known as “NNS Aradu”, which was partially submerged at the Naval Dockyard prior to the Presidential visit.
Esan stressed that his client subsequently entered into a contract with the Nigerian Navy in that regard. The contract was dated January 14, 2005.
In line with the terms of the contract, Esan added that the plaintiff deployed its vessels namely: Submersible Floating Dock, a Tugboat and a Floating Crane Vessel.
However, the plaintiff averred that before it completed the execution of the contract, its vessels became trapped on all sides.
It explained specifically that the vessels became trapped at a startboard by the Defence Jetty, and to its port and rear by arrested and sunken bunkering vessels, as well as immediately to its bow by sunken oil vessel belonging to Chief Rashid Ladoja, former Governor of Oyo State.
All the vessels, which trapped the plaintiff’s vessels, were said to be under the control and authority of both the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA.
The plaintiff alleged that the vessels were trapped due to the deliberate negligent act of the Nigerian Navy, and that despite several entreaties to the Naval authority, it failed to remove the said vessels, which were mostly wrecks and abandoned vessels.
The plaintiff further stated that the entrapment of its vessels and eventual wanton damage frustrated it from deploying them to other income generating businesses, and it eventually suffered loss of income as a result.
No date has yet been fixed for hearing on the suit.
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