Uche Cecil Izuora
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has officially handed over three suspected stowaways found onboard the merchant vessel, MV MAERSK CALABAR, to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
The handover underscores the continued collaboration among security agencies to combat illegal migration and strengthen maritime safety and security.
The suspects were arrested on Monday, 14 September 2026, while the vessel was underway around Lagos Fairway Buoy. Following a tip-off from the Western Regional Control Centre, the NNS BEECROFT Quick Reaction Team stationed at Tarkwa Bay intercepted the vessel and safely extracted the suspects from its propeller compartment. They were subsequently conveyed to NNS BEECROFT for preliminary investigation and profiling. The suspects were identified as Isaiah Oyetayo (30), Goddey Ajinde Samson (26), and Popoola Felix (28). Further investigation revealed that the suspects boarded MV MAERSK CALABAR on Monday, 14 September 2026, while the vessel was at Apapa Port. They reportedly used a canoe to access the vessel before hiding in the propeller compartment. Their presence was discovered after the vessel got underway, leading to the intervention of NNS BEECROFT.
The incident highlights the serious risks associated with unauthorised access to seagoing vessels. Individuals who attempt to conceal themselves onboard vessels in pursuit of illegal migration expose themselves to potentially life-threatening conditions, while also creating significant safety and security concerns for the vessels and their crews. Parents, guardians, and other authority figures are therefore encouraged to discourage youths from engaging in such dangerous acts and to sensitise them on the risks associated with attempting to travel illegally by sea. The dangers involved are not limited to Nigeria, as such incidents can have wider implications for maritime safety and security across the West African sub-region.
Finally, NNS BEECROFT, under my command, will continue to actualise the mission of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal), which is to deploy a highly motivated and professional naval force capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime interests and contributing effectively to joint operations in defence of national sovereignty and the maintenance of internal stability.