By Nkechi Eze
In a coordinated effort to curb illegal migration and enhance maritime safety, the Nigerian Navy on Wednesday, 1 April 2026, handed over three suspected stowaways rescued from the merchant vessel MT ANATOLIA to the Nigeria Immigration Service.
Commodore Adams Aliu, in an official statement, explained that the handover is part of ongoing collaborative measures between security agencies to prevent unauthorized maritime travel and ensure the safety of seafarers and vessels.
The suspects—Armah Peter (26), Amisah Daniel (22), and Amoh Michael (25), all Ghanaian nationals—were discovered on Saturday, 28 March 2026, concealed in the rudder compartment of MT ANATOLIA while the vessel was berthed at Dangote Terminal, Lagos. They were safely evacuated and brought aboard NNS BEECROFT for preliminary investigation and profiling.
Investigations revealed that the three men had previously travelled from Ghana to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where they lived and engaged in fishing activities for about one year. Using a canoe, they later accessed the rudder compartment of the vessel before it departed Ivorian waters, intending to travel illegally to Europe. Believing they had reached their intended destination after several hours at sea, they alerted the vessel’s crew, leading to their detection and rescue.
Commodore Aliu urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to advise young people against attempting to stow away on ships, emphasizing that such risks extend beyond Nigeria to neighbouring West African countries.
He further reaffirmed that NNS BEECROFT, under his command, will continue to execute the mission of the Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, by maintaining 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 internal stability.
