NNS, BEECROFT, the Nigerian Naval Ship, has said it arrested 97 stowaways in the last 12 months who were handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS).

This was contained in a statement on Friday in Lagos by NNS BEECROFT’s Information Officer, Sub-Lt. Veronica Effiong.

Effiong said that the arrests were made as part of efforts by the Nigerian Navy to rid the nation’s maritime space of all illegalities, including human trafficking.

“Nigerian Naval Ship BEECROFT, through robust patrols in the last 12 months, arrested 97 stowaways in the Lagos waters, all of which have been handed over to the NIS.

“Last Saturday, the base patrol team arrested three suspected stowaways aboard MT SCF ALPHINE around the Lagos anchorage.

“Preliminary investigations by the base reveal that all the stowaways accessed the vessel to migrate to Europe illegally,” she said.

According to her, the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Bashir Mohammed, reiterated the commitment of the Base to secure Nigeria’s territorial waters.

She said that the commitment was in line with the Chief of the Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo’s Strategic Directive of 2021-5.

“I urge members of the public, especially our host communities, to kindly furnish the base with credible information to assist it in curbing the activities of criminal elements and economic saboteurs,” the officer said in a report by NAN.

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