Navy arrests three stowaways off Lagos coast

By Fredrick Ameh

The Nigerian Navy intercepted and arrested three suspected stowaways Sunday evening aboard the merchant vessel MSC STELLA near the Lagos Fairway Buoy.

The operation was conducted by personnel from NNS BEECROFT following credible intelligence provided by the Western Regional Control Centre. A Quick Response Team deployed from Tarkwa Bay intercepted the vessel approximately five nautical miles off the Lagos coastline to take the suspects into custody.

Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information, confirmed the suspects were found hiding in a compartment of the merchant ship. The rescue and subsequent arrest highlight the Navy’s intensified efforts to secure Nigeria’s territorial waters and prevent illegal migration via commercial shipping routes.

The incident is the latest in a series of maritime security successes in the Gulf of Guinea. Authorities noted that stowaways often risk their lives in dangerous vessel compartments, posing significant legal and security liabilities for international shipping lines.

The suspects have been evacuated from the MSC STELLA and transferred to the appropriate authorities for profiling and further investigation.

The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe maritime environment for legitimate trade, warning that surveillance around the Lagos Fairway Buoy remains at a heightened state to deter criminal activities.