Navy arrests 75 Nigerians hiding on container ships in Lagos

The Nigerian Navy has expressed concern over the increasing issue of stowaways in Lagos waters, revealing that it has apprehended approximately 75 stowaways from August 2023 to April 2024. This information was conveyed in a statement by the Navy's Director of Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Adams-Aliu emphasized that the Nigerian Navy views the rise in stowaway cases within Nigerian waters as a serious concern. He referred to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), which defines a stowaway as someone who clandestinely boards a ship or cargo without authorization from the shipowners, master, or any responsible individual.

The Navy considers stowaway migration illegal, hazardous, and a security risk to shipowners. Adams-Aliu highlighted that, under the strategic guidance of Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Navy has deployed advanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) equipment to direct Quick Response Teams (QRT) to all regions of Nigeria’s territorial waters.

He provided details of specific apprehensions, citing examples such as five stowaways captured in August 2023 on the MSC Martha Vessel in the Lagos Channel, eight on the Charminar Panama in September 2023 at the Lagos Fairway Buoy, and 11 on the Guangzhou Highway Panama in October 2023 in the Lagos Channel.

Adams-Aliu continued by noting that 23 stowaways were apprehended between January and April, all in the Lagos Channel and Fairway Buoy. He described the extraction process by the QRT, who carefully removed stowaways concealed within the vessels' rudder compartments. All apprehended stowaways were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for further necessary actions following established protocols.

The Navy urged the public to understand the dangers associated with attempting to travel as stowaways, including severe legal repercussions and significant health risks such as exposure to harsh weather conditions, lack of sustenance, injuries, and potential loss of life. Consequently, the Navy discouraged Nigerian youths from engaging in such perilous endeavors.