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By Philip Nwosu
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft has handed over 4,000 litres of products suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and action.
Speaking during the handover ceremony on Thursday in Lagos, the Executive Officer of NNS Beecroft, Capt. Idongesit Udoessien, said the operation underscored the navy’s renewed commitment to curbing economic sabotage and strengthening maritime security across Lagos State and its coastal communities.
Udoessien, who represented the Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Paul Nimmyel, said naval operatives intercepted a boat conveying the suspected products around the Atlas Cove area, a critical oil and gas terminal area, primarily serving as a major point for receiving, storing, and distributing refined petroleum products in Nigeria.
“This feat was made possible through the effective use of the Nigerian Navy’s Maritime Domain Awareness facility and the Western Regional Control Centre of the Falcon Eye Alignment,” he said.
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He disclosed that the suspects abandoned the boat and fled upon sighting the patrol team. The seized product, he added, was later handed over to the NSCDC representative, Superintendent Amoo Kehinde, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Udoessien noted that the interception was in line with the strategic directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to maintain a credible presence along Lagos waterways and adjoining creeks to deter and disrupt maritime crimes.
“This operation is part of ongoing efforts to rid the maritime environment of all forms of economic sabotage and illegal activities,” he said, warning perpetrators of maritime crimes to desist or face the full weight of the law.
He reaffirmed the CBN’s commitment to continuous surveillance, patrols, and intelligence-led missions aimed at denying criminals freedom of action within Nigeria’s territorial waters.
