In a recent operation, the Nigerian Navy (NN) successfully intercepted a vessel that had reportedly fled from Gabon without the necessary documentation.
The vessel in question, known as MV BLU-SHARK, was apprehended in Calabar on May 6 around 11:52 hours by the navy’s NNS OSE, as outlined in a statement by the Navy’s Director of Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, released Friday in Abuja.
Upon interception, 11 crew members onboard were arrested.
Adams-Aliu revealed that the vessel was tracked down following an alert issued on May 2 by the Multinational Maritime Coordination Center Zone D. This alert prompted the search and subsequent arrest of the vessel bearing the IMO number 8767783.
It was reported that the vessel had allegedly departed from Port Gentil in Gabon on May 2 at 11:35 pm without going through the necessary customs clearance procedures mandated by the Gabonese maritime, judicial, and customs authorities.
“The apprehension of MV BLU-SHARK is an outcome of coordinated efforts among regional maritime security agencies in the Gulf of Guinea operating under the Yaoundé Code of Conduct on Maritime Security in the Region,” he noted.
Adams-Aliu emphasized that this action aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to fostering a secure maritime environment to bolster the nation’s Blue Economy.
The navy is set to initiate preliminary investigations to validate the allegations made, with the aim of handling the vessel accordingly following the guidelines of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct.
Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff, has lauded the officers and ratings of NNS OSE for their professionalism in successfully intercepting the suspected fleeing vessel.