By OLADAPO UDOM

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT on Wednesday handed over three suspected Ghanian stowaways, rescued from a merchant vessel, MT ANATOLIA, to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said that the handover formed part of ongoing collaborative efforts between security agencies to curb illegal migration and enhance maritime safety and security.

Adams-Aliu said this during the handing over of the stowaways which took place at NNS BEECROFT parade ground, Apapa, Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) describes a stowaway as a person who conceals himself aboard a vessel with the intent of travelling illegally to another country without authorisation.

The commodore said that the NIS would be responsible for transferring the suspects to the Ghanaian Embassy after proper judicial procedures.

“The suspects were discovered on Saturday, concealed within the rudder compartment of the vessel, while the ship was berthed at Dangote Terminal, Lagos.

“They were safely evacuated from the compartment and conveyed to NNS BEECROFT for preliminary investigation and profiling.

“Initial findings identified the suspects as Armah Peter, 26; Amisah Daniel, 22, and Amoh Michael,25, all male nationals of Ghana,” he said.

Adams-Aliu said that investigations revealed that the suspects had earlier travelled from Ghana to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where they reportedly lived and engaged in fishing activities for about one year.

“Further inquiry revealed that, with the aid of a canoe, they gained access to the rudder compartment of MT ANATOLIA with the intention of illegally travelling to Europe.

“After several hours at sea, believing they had arrived at their intended destination, they alerted the vessel’s crew, leading to their detection and subsequent rescue,” he said.

The commodore urged parents, guardians and authority figures within the society to advise their youths against attempting to board sea-going vessels illegally.

“As we can see today, this advice extends beyond Nigerian society to neighbouring countries in the West Coast of Africa,” he said.

Adams-Aliu said that NNS BEECROFT, under his command, would continue to actualise the mission of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Idi Abbas.

According to him, the mission is to deploy a highly motivated and professional naval force capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime interests and contributing effectively to joint operations in defence of national sovereignty and the maintenance of internal stability. (NAN)

•PHOTO: Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, Commander, NNS BEECROFT, addressing the media. Backing him are the arrested Ghanaian stowaways.