The Nigerian Navy has arrested 75 stowaways in Nigeria waterways in nine months.
This is just as the service has raised the alarm of security threats to shipowners occasioned by the acts and called for caution.
The director of information, Naval headquarters, Commodore A. Adams-Aliu said the stowaways were apprehended between August 2023 to April 2024.
He said the arrests were made in line with the strategic directive of the chief of the naval staff, vice admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
Adams-Aliu said following the directive, the Navy deployed advanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), equipment to vector Quick Response Teams (QRT), to all parts of Nigeria’s territorial waters.
He said, “During the operations, the QRT carefully extracted the stowaways who had concealed themselves inside the rudder compartment of the vessels.
“Consequently, the Nigerian Navy apprehended about 75 stowaways from August 2023 to April 2024”.
The naval spokesperson added that all apprehended stowaways were handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), in accordance with the established protocols for further necessary action.
He explained that according to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), a stowaway is someone who is secreted on a ship, or in cargo without the consent of the shipowners or the master or any other responsible person.
“Migration as a stowaway is illegal, dangerous and is considered a security threat to shipowners,” he added.
Highlighting the dangers of attempting to travel as a stowaway, he said it could result to severe legal consequences and significant health risks such as negative effects of harsh weather conditions, lack of food and water, injuries and even death.
