Four stowaways were apprehended while attempting to flee the country on board a container ship (TEME EXPRESS) en route to Dubai.
The Navy announced the capture in a statement on Wednesday, saying the stowaways were apprehended on Monday during a patrol at the Lagos anchorage by the NNS BEECROFT unit.
The stowaways were discovered inside the ship’s rudder compartment with bags of food and satchet water, according to the ship’s commander, Kolawole Oguntuga.
Oguntuga said that the maritime domain awareness facility, the Falcon Eye Alignment, played a critical role in providing information that led to their arrest.
“Tactical teams were dispatched to the vessel at Lagos Anchorage, sequel to receiving information from the maritime domain awareness facility,” he said.
“Upon arrival, the teams noticed movements inside the rudder compartment, consequently, the teams boarded the ship, located and extracted the four stowaways.
“The stowaways were found with a bag filled with snacks and another polybag containing sachet water.”
The commander explained that the stowaways had been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in accordance with established protocol, adding that they put themselves in a life-threatening situation, especially as they were in a confined space for an extended duration.
“They also present myriad security threats to the crew with dire consequences on the nation’s image,” Oguntuga said.
He also reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining maritime security for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.