Between August 2023 and April 2024, the Nigerian Navy reported the apprehension of 75 stowaways on the country’s waterways. The Navy has voiced its worry regarding the increasing trend of citizens attempting to migrate through stowaway methods, emphasizing the illegal and hazardous nature of such actions.
In a statement released on Wednesday by Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, the Navy’s Director of Information, it was highlighted that stowaway migration poses security risks to shipowners, underscoring the need for caution.
Adams-Aliu attributed the arrests to the strategic directive of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff. He expressed, “The Nigerian Navy is alarmed by the surge in stowaway incidents within Nigerian waters. The FAL Convention defines a stowaway as an individual who clandestinely boards a ship or cargo without authorization from shipowners, the master, or any responsible party.
“Stowaway migration is not only illegal and perilous but also a serious threat to shipowners. In alignment with Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla’s strategic directive, the Navy employed cutting-edge Maritime Domain Awareness equipment to dispatch Quick Response Teams across Nigeria’s territorial waters. Consequently, approximately 75 stowaways were apprehended between August 2023 and April 2024.”
Providing a breakdown of the arrests, Aliu stated that five stowaways were captured from Msc Martha in August 2023, eight from Charminar Panama in September, 11 from Guangzhou Highway Panama in October, eight from Natal in November, four from Container Vessel Teme in December, and two from Grande Guinea, as well as 14 from Mt UOG Constantine.
Further arrests included three in January 2024 from Front Altiers, four from MT Chip, three from MT Advantage Love, nine from MT Lysias Valletta Valletta, and four each from MT Princess Erin in February, March, and April respectively.