Nigerian Navy worried about increasing stowaway cases in Lagos…arrests 75
The Nigerian Navy has arrested a total of 75 stowaways from different ships within the maritime areas in Lagos in the last eight months.
A stowaway is someone who is kept stowed on a ship or in cargo without the consent of the shipowners or the master or any other responsible person.
Contained in a statement on Wednesday, Spokesman of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said that the navy was very concerned about the increasing cases of stowaways on Nigerian waters.
He disclosed that the stowaways were arrested in different ships and cargo from August 2023 to April 2024, following the deployment of Quick Response Teams to different parts of the nation’s territorial waters.
“In line with the strategic directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Nigerian Navy deployed advanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) equipment to vector Quick Response Teams (QRT) to all parts of Nigeria’s territorial waters.
“During the operations, the QRT carefully extracted the stowaways who had concealed themselves inside the rudder compartment of the vessels,” the Navy’s Spokesman said.
In details, the Navy’s spokesman explained that five stowaways were arrested in MSC MARTHA at Lagos Channel in August 2023, while eight stowaways were arrested in CHARMINAR PANAMA at Lagos Fairway Buoy in September 2022.
He said: “In October 2023, 11 stowaways were arrested at Lagos Channel, in November 2022, eight were arrested in NATA ship at Lagos Fairway Buoy, in December 2023, and four were arrested in CONTAINER VESSEL TEME at Lagos Channel.
“Others are: two stowaways were arrested in GRANDE GUINEA at Lagos Fairway Buoy in December 2023; 14 were arrested in MT UOG CONSTANTINE at Lagos Channel on December 2023; three were arrested in FRONT ALTIERS at Lagos Fairway Buoy in January 2024; four arrested in MT CHIP at Lagos Channel in February 2024; three were arrested in MT ADVANTAGE LOVE at Lagos Channel in March 2024. Nine arrested in MT LYSIAS VALLETTA Lagos Fairway Buoy in March 2024, and four arrested in MT PRINCESS ERIN Lagos Channel in April 2024.”
The Navy’s spokesperson said all apprehended stowaways have been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in accordance with the established protocols for further necessary action.
He described migration as a stowaway as “illegal, dangerous and is considered a security threat to shipowners.”
The navy warned members of the public against travelling as stowaways because they could face “severe legal consequences and significant health risks such as negative effects of harsh weather conditions, lack of food and water, injuries and even death.”
