Navy Arrests Vessels over illegal activities in Lagos

Abiola Seun |

The Nigerian Navy (NN) on Monday disclosed that it arrested two vessels and four suspected pirates over illegal activities on Lagos waters.

This arrest was made by the officers of the Western Naval Command after the launch of Okun Alafia II ( operation calm water II) earlier in the year.

Speaking while giving a low down of the activities of the operation so far, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, said the operations have started yielding positive results through the arrests of criminals on the Waterways.

The FOC, who was represented by the Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral Danjuma Moses, said the arrests were made between Monday 27th July to Monday 3th August 2020 at Idi Mango, Abule Glass Akaraba areas based on the operations posture of the Western Naval Command against perpetrators of criminalities within the nation’s maritime Environment.

“I hereby restate the resolve of Flag Officer Commanding that the Nigerian Navy will not rest on its oars to provide necessary conducive environment for law-abiding members of the public to carry out legitimate maritime-related businesses”

“May I further request that as partners in progress, members of the public are free to divulge credible information to units in your localities to enable it get rid of all forms of criminality” he said.

He further stated that operation is part of the Navy’s role of carrying out statutory responsibility of protecting the nation’s maritime domain in Western Zone in order to sustain the gains of previous operations and exercises which the Command has conducted.

The other operations according to him are Operation JUNCTION RAIN, SWIFT RESPONSE, Exercise ATEGUN ALAFIA, Exercise OKUN ALAFIA 1, Exercise TREASURE GUARD 11 which resulted in several arrests and handover of suspects and platforms used in committing illegalities to relevant law enforcement agencies for prosecution.

Daji further stated that the efforts form part of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas’ Operations Objectives of his strategic directive.

He continued, “In this vein, it is gladdening to note that laudable successes have been achieved within eleven days since flag-off of the Operation exercise.

According to him, the two vessels were arrested for acts of illegal bunkering and was part of the effort by operation Okun Alafia II supported maritime domain awareness facility available to vector, intercept and interrogate.

Among others successes included a vessel called Mother Comfort that was arrested by NNS OSE on Friday July 24th, 2020 at about 50nm off Badagry Cotonou Waters for alleged Illegal Bunkering (Expired Naval Permit).

“Another vessel called Sea Supply was also arrested on Friday July 31th, 2020 .

These exercises are aimed at ridding the nation’s of maritime illegalities since flag off of operation Okun Alafia II by the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) facility.

Both vessels are currently in our custody, undergoing further investigation, preparatory to handover to appropriate agency for prosecution.

“Other arrests consist of arrest of 4 suspects as well as 8 x 501 ltrs PMS fuel of jerrycans, several other empty jerrycans and accessories for siphoning of PMS at various locations along the Atlas Cove-Ijegun NNPC pipeline.”