Navy Arrests 2 stowaways in Lagos, hands suspects to immigration authorities
Navy Arrests 2 stowaways in Lagos, hands suspects to immigration authorities
The Nigerian Navy Ship ( NNS) Beecroft has handed over two suspected stowaways to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) after they were rescued from a merchant vessel along the Lagos waterways.
The suspects were transferred on Monday, March 23, 2026, by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT to officials of the Immigration Service at the Lagos Ports/Marine Command in Apapa for further investigation.
According to Commander, NNS, Beecroft, Commodore Adams Aliyu, on Tuesday, in Lagos, the two men were discovered in the early hours of March 19 while hiding inside the rudder compartment of a merchant ship identified as MV Seaspan Lahore during routine maritime security checks around the Lagos Fairway buoy.
“The vessel was already underway when the hidden individuals were detected”
“The suspects were safely removed from the compartment and taken to the naval base for preliminary questioning. They were later identified as Abdullahi Yakubu, 36, described as a repeat offender, and Omoniyi Afotona, 25. Initial findings suggest both men secretly boarded the ship at Apapa Port before its departure” he stated.
Commodore Aliyu warned that anyone attempting to travel abroad by hiding on ships is illegal and highly dangerous, urging young Nigerians to pursue lawful migration channels instead. Parents, guardians, and community leaders were also advised to educate youths on the risks associated with stowing away on vessels.
The Navy Commander, reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain, noting that the command will continue to carry out the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, to maintain a professional force capable of safeguarding the nation’s waters and supporting national security operations.
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