Navy arrests three Ghanaian stowaways at Dangote terminal, hands over suspects to Immigration

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has apprehended three Ghanaian nationals attempting to migrate illegally to Europe and handed them over to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The latest arrest is coming barely a week after personnel of NNS BEECROFT foiled a similar attempt by two stowaways trying to reach Spain.

Addressing journalists at the Naval Base in Apapa on Wednesday, the Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, disclosed that the three men were discovered aboard a merchant vessel, MT ANATOLIA, while it was berthed at the Dangote Terminal in Lagos.

The suspects, identified as Armah Peter (26), Amisah Daniel (22), and Amoh Michael (25), he said, were discovered on Saturday, March 28, 2026, hidden within the vessel’s rudder compartment.

According to the Commander, investigation revealed that the men used a canoe to reach the vessel and gain access to the rudder compartment before the ship departed Ivorian waters.

“They were safely evacuated from the compartment and conveyed to NNS BEECROFT for preliminary investigation and profiling.

“The investigations revealed that the suspects had earlier travelled from Ghana to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where they reportedly lived and engaged in fishing activities for about one year.

“Further inquiry revealed that with the aid of a canoe, they gained access to the rudder compartment of MT ANATOLIA before the vessel departed Ivorian waters, with the intention of travelling illegally to Europe.

“After several hours at sea, believing they had arrived at their intended destination, they alerted the vessel’s crew, leading to their detection and subsequent rescue, ” he said.

The Commander noted that the arrest and subsequent handover to the Nigerian Immigration Service forms part of ongoing collaborative efforts between security agencies to curb illegal migration and enhance maritime safety and security.

He said the NIS will transfer the suspects to the Ghanaian Embassy following the conclusion of proper judicial procedures.

Commodore Adams-Aliu used the opportunity to call on parents, guardians, and authority figures across the West African sub-region to advise youths against the perils of illegal boarding.

He reiterated that stowing away on board vessels is illegal and remain one of the dangerous forms of illegal migration.

“One of the reasons these men where discovered was probably they were sick and tired of being in the rudder compartment were they were hiding, ” he said.

He reaffirmed that NNS BEECROFT remains committed to the mission of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime interests and maintain internal stability through highly motivated and professional naval operations.