Oil theft trial in Nigeria

Twelve Russian sailors held in Nigeria for nearly two years on charges of stealing crude oil are expected be handed over to their embassy today, a Russian Embassy official said.

In a written order on August 4, Judge Roseline Ukeje of the federal high court in Lagos, had said the Russians – all crewmen of the Greek-owned ship MT African Pride found laden with suspected stolen oil off Nigeria’s coast – would be handed over to their embassies rather than jailed as their trial proceeded.

The embassy spokesman said the court hearing to formalise the release had begun this morning. As a condition of release, the judge had required the embassy to give written guarantees the sailors would continue to attend their trial.