Photo: Nigeria Navy
5 stowaways onboard Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT MT JANE vessel at the Lagos anchorage have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy.
The suspects who were arrested during a routine harbour patrol gained access onboard the vessel through its rudder compartment.
Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Bashir Mohammed, in a statement says findings during the interrogation revealed that the stowaways came from different parts of the country to Lagos State with the intention of travelling to Europe.
During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they had the intention of leaving the country for Europe in search of greener pastures before they were apprehended by the Nigerian Navy.
The suspects have been handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for further investigation and prosecution.
Commodore Mohammed whilst commending NNS BEECROFT patrol team advised Nigerians to always follow due process for migration to avoid endangering their lives, conveying the Chief of Naval Staff’s commitment towards supporting the Nigerian Immigration Service and other Maritime stakeholders in curbing crimes within the maritime domain.
Reporting by Mary Fatile, Chukwuma Agbanusi, editing by Muzha Kucha