At Lagos Road Stead, the Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft reported that it had apprehended 14 stowaways from a motor tanker, the UOG Constantine.
In a statement issued by the base information officer, Sub-Lieutenant H. A. Collins, NNS Beecroft, and the commander of the maritime component of Operation Awatse, Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, revealed this on Tuesday.
Osas Nusakare, Victor Egoma, Okechi Chika, Stephen Mmuta, Ibrahim Hassan, Ebuka Onura, and Okonkwo Gift are among the suspects.
Godspeed Moses, Ayefuwe Collins, Alfred Ese, Abubakar Ibrahim, Godbless Emmanuel, Aki Opeoluwa, and Oluwatosin Sunday are the others.
The statement from Oguntuga said that the stowaways were taken into custody on December 15, 2023.
He also mentioned that two of them had been detained a month earlier for a similar offence.
“On Friday, December 15, 2023, the patrol team of Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft successfully intercepted and extracted 14 stowaways from a motor tanker to UOG Constantine at Lagos Road Stead in a proactive and resolute demonstration to sustain maritime security,” the statement reads.
The Falcon Eye Alignment, a Maritime Domain Awareness Facility, provided the intelligence that led to the rapid action. Squads on the move quickly entered the ship and found activity in the rudder compartment.
It is noteworthy that two of the stowaways who were detained had been arrested for a similar conduct just one month prior, highlighting the ongoing nature of these illegal actions.
“Yet the patrol team’s courageous actions prevented the people imprisoned in the vessel’s compartment from facing a life-threatening situation, highlighting the Nigerian Navy’s dedication to maritime safety,”
Oguntuga revealed that the Nigeria Immigration Service has been tasked with taking the appropriate steps on behalf of the stowaways.
“In accordance with established norms, the detained stowaways were immediately turned over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for additional necessary action.
Under the direction of Vice Admiral EI Ogalla, the Chief of the Naval Staff, “the incident underscores the Nigerian Navy’s unwavering commitment to its constitutional role, reinforcing the dedication to creating a secure maritime environment for the nation’s economic prosperity,” he continued.
