Izuchukwu Okosi
By Kayode Shokpekan
HOUTHIS in Yemen have accused Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen of diverting a fuel vessel heading for the Yemeni port of Hodeidah to a Saudi port instead.
According to information released by Al-Masirah TV, on Wdenesday, the Emirati cargo vessel was seized on Monday in the Red sea.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis has been trying to blockade Yemeni sea ports that the Houthis control, including Hodeidah.
Reacting to the accusation Saudi state TV reported the coalition as saying it destroyed workshops and warehouses for drones.
Saudi Arabian Air defenses intercepted and destroyed five drones launched by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement towards the kingdom on Monday, while the seized ship is being held in the Houthi-held port of Salif, north of Hodeidah, and some 60km (37 miles) from the border with Saudi Arabia.
The coalition said the vessel was in international waters when it was seized, and was carrying “medical field equipment” meant for the construction of a hospital on the Yemeni archipelago of Socotra.
The Houthis, have however claimed that the boat was in Yemeni waters “without authorisation” and carrying military materials.
Hodeidah has been a lifeline entry point for aid supplies to Yemen’s largely rebel-held north, including Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015 to support the internationally recognised government against the Houthis.
The UAE is a member of the Saudi-led coalition and has not publicly reacted to the incident, the first of its kind in more than two years.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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