Navy Nabs Two Stowaways Hidden in Vessel off Lagos Coast
The Nigerian Navy has arrested two suspected stowaways aboard a foreign merchant vessel off the Lagos coast, foiling an attempt to leave the country illegally through the maritime route.
The suspects, identified as Abdullahi Yakubu, 36, and Omoniyi Afotona, 25, were apprehended on March 19 by operatives of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT during routine security checks near the Lagos Fairway Buoy. They were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at Apapa for further processing.
Handing over the suspects, the Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu
, said the men were discovered concealed inside the rudder compartment of the vessel, MV Seaspan Lahore, in what he described as a dangerous and illegal attempt to exit the country undetected.
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Preliminary investigations, according to him, revealed that the suspects had illegally boarded the vessel at Apapa Port with the intention of travelling abroad.
Adams-Aliu warned that stowing away remains both unlawful and life-threatening, stressing the need for families and community leaders to sensitise young people on the risks associated with irregular migration.
He reiterated the Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain in line with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, noting that security patrols would continue to be intensified to deter such acts.
The naval commander also disclosed that one of the suspects was a repeat offender, warning that the Navy would not tolerate criminal activities within the nation’s waterways.
Receiving the suspects, Deputy Superintendent of Immigration Emmanuel Ochokpa Eneji of the Lagos Ports Marine Command said they would undergo profiling and documentation before being handed over to the police for prosecution.
One of the suspects, Abdullahi Yakubu, admitted to attempting the act previously, saying he was driven by desperation to migrate to Spain in search of better opportunities.
He said he resorted to stowing away due to lack of funds for legal travel, adding that he paid a token to local fishermen who assisted him in boarding the vessel.
By PRNigeria
