Nigerian Navy decries growing menace of stowaways in Lagos waters

• Apprehends about 75 stowaways in nine months

The Nigerian Navy (NN) has expressed deep concerns over the escalating incidence of stowaways within Nigerian waters.

According to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), a stowaway is defined as an individual who clandestinely boards a vessel or cargo without the consent of the shipowners, master, or any authorized personnel.

In a statement released by the Nigerian Navy Director of Information, Commodore A Adams-Aliu, it was emphasized that stowaway migration was both illegal and perilous, constituting a significant security threat to shipowners.

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In alignment with the strategic directives of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the NN has deployed advanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) technology in facilitating the swift response of Quick Response Teams (QRT) across all sectors of Nigeria’s territorial waters.

Consequently, between August 2023 and April 2024, the Nigerian Navy has successfully apprehended approximately 75 stowaways.

The specific incidents of stowaway extraction by the NN during the aforementioned period are detailed as follows:

1. August 2023 – MSC MARTHA-5, Lagos Channel
2. September 2023 – CHARMINAR PANAMA-8, Lagos Fairway Buoy
3. October 2023 – GWANGZHOU HIGHWAY PANAMA-11, Lagos Channel
4. November 2023 – NATAL-8, Lagos Fairway Buoy
5. December 2023 – CONTAINER VESSEL TEME-4, Lagos Channel
6. December 2023 – GRANDE GUINEA-2, Lagos Fairway Buoy
7. December 2023 – MT UOG CONSTANTINE-14, Lagos Channel
8. January 2024 – FRONT ALTIERS-3, Lagos Fairway Buoy
9. February 2024 – MT CHIP-4, Lagos Channel
10. March 2024 – MT ADVANTAGE LOVE-3, Lagos Channel
11. March 2024 – MT LYSIAS VALLETTA-9, Lagos Fairway Buoy
12. April 2024 – MT PRINCESS ERIN-4, Lagos Channel

Throughout these operations, the Quick Response Teams meticulously extracted stowaways concealed within the vessels’ rudder compartments.

“All apprehended stowaways have been duly handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in accordance with established protocols for further necessary action.

“The Nigerian Navy seeks to raise public awareness regarding the hazards associated with attempting stowaway travel, which encompass severe legal repercussions and significant health risks including exposure to harsh weather conditions, deprivation of sustenance, injuries, and potential fatalities and takes this opportunity to strongly discourage Nigerian youths from engaging in such perilous endeavors.”