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The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has handed over five suspected stowaways rescued from a merchant vessel, MT CHINAFRIE HAPPINESS, to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal migration and strengthen maritime security.
The handover, which took place yesterday, followed the rescue of the suspects after they were discovered concealed in the rudder compartment of the vessel on June 17 while attempting to travel illegally to India.
According to the Commanding Officer of NNS BEECROFT, the operation underscores the strong collaboration between the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain and preventing unlawful migration.
The Navy identified the suspects as Segun Samuel Boyewa, 31; Kingsley Chukwu, 43; Joseph Judge, 33; Moses Aletor, 24; and Abdullahi Danlami, 31.
The suspects were safely evacuated from the vessel and taken to NNS BEECROFT, where they underwent preliminary investigation and profiling.
Investigations revealed that the five men boarded MT CHINAFRIE HAPPINESS while it was berthed at Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, with the intention of travelling clandestinely to India without the required travel documentation or authorisation.
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Explaining the offence, the Navy noted that a stowaway is a person who secretly boards a ship or other means of transport with the intention of travelling illegally to another country without permission.
The Navy used the occasion to call on parents, guardians and community leaders to educate and discourage young people from engaging in the dangerous practice of attempting to board seagoing vessels illegally.
It warned that such actions not only violate immigration and maritime laws but also expose individuals to life-threatening risks, including drowning, suffocation, starvation and other hazards associated with long sea voyages.
The Commanding Officer reaffirmed the commitment of NNS BEECROFT to sustaining operations aimed at protecting Nigeria’s territorial waters and supporting national security objectives.
He said the ship would continue to actualise the strategic vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, by maintaining a highly motivated and professional naval force capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime interests and contributing effectively to joint operations in defence of the country’s sovereignty and internal stability.
The Nigerian Navy has repeatedly warned against illegal migration through maritime routes, urging prospective migrants to pursue legitimate travel channels while intensifying surveillance and enforcement operations across the nation’s ports and waterways.
