The Nigerian Navy has apprehended five suspected stowaways at Tin Can Island Port in Lagos after they allegedly attempted to travel illegally to India by hiding aboard a merchant vessel.
The suspects were discovered concealed inside the rudder compartment of the merchant tanker MT Chinafrie Happiness while the vessel was berthed at the port.
They were safely evacuated by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT and taken into custody before being handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Confirming the operation, the Naval Assistant to the Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Lieutenant A.O. Ajayi, said the arrest was part of ongoing collaboration between security agencies to combat illegal migration and enhance maritime safety and security.
He explained that investigations revealed the suspects had boarded the vessel with the intention of travelling illegally to India.
The suspects were identified as Segun Samuel Boyewa, 31; Kingsley Chukwu, 43; Joseph Judge, 33; Moses Aletor, 24; and Abdullahi Danlami, 31.
“A stowaway is a person who conceals themselves aboard a vessel with the intention of travelling illegally to another country without authorisation,” Ajayi said.
Following preliminary profiling and investigation at NNS BEECROFT, the five suspects were transferred to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further processing in accordance with Nigeria’s immigration laws.
The Navy warned against the growing trend of illegal migration by sea, urging parents, guardians and community leaders to discourage young people from embarking on dangerous stowaway voyages aboard commercial vessels. It stressed that such attempts not only endanger lives but also violate international maritime regulations.