Navy Arrest 7 Stowaway Suspects

Personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, on Wednesday arrested seven suspects, including two Ghanaians, Liberians and three Nigerians, for stowing away in a foreign vessel bound for Spain.

The stowaways had sneaked onboard an International maritime vessel; MT ELECTRA BARI ship, which had come to discharge petroleum products at Apapa tank farms, but were arrested off the Fairway buoy, Lagos.

The captain of the vessel, who then involved the NNS Beecroft under the command of Commodore Tekumo Ikoli, had discovered the stowaways.

While the Ghanaians were identified as Kweku Asamua and John Okhian; the Liberians were Joe Mcgee and Ibrahim Sola and the Nigerians were also identified as Ikechukwu Obi, Maxwell Madu and Papa Omomobi.

Before the suspects were handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Apapa, Rear Admiral Jonathan Ango said NNS Ikot-Abasi affected the arrest.

He said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested persons boarded the vessel, while she was discharging her products and their intention was to follow the vessel to Holland.

“On completion of its operations, MT ELECTRA BARI with IMO number 941682 left for Lome, Togo. It was while in Togo, she discovered some strange people onboard and established communication with NNS Ship Ikot -Abasi.

“They now effected the arrest of seven stowaways. The suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and prosecution.

“In line with the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin’s zero tolerance for all maritime crime within Nigeria’s maritime space, I will like to seize this medium to call on those criminally minded elements to seek legitimate employment instead of living an untoward activities.”

One of the Ghanaian stowaways, Asamua, said this would be his second attempt after the first botched attempt to enter Europe illegally.
Another stowaway, Madu, an Enugu State indigene, blamed frustration for his sojourn into attempting to travel abroad, albeit illegally.

Another suspect, Omomobi said they tracked the ship’s destination from a device installed in their phones and then picked on the one they deem Receiving the stowaways from the navy in the presence of the WNC Chief Security Officer, Commodore BEE Ibe-Enwo, the NIS representative, Superintendent Oloruntoba Olusola Gabriel of the Marine Command, said investigations would continue.

He said the investigations would entail profiling the stowaways with a view to ascertain claims of their nationalities before they can expedite action.