LAGOS — The Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT has handed over three suspected stowaways found aboard the merchant vessel MV MAERSK CALABAR to the Nigeria Immigration Service. The handover took place on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, with the Executive Officer, Captain Olanrewaju Olubunmi Oginni, representing the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Cdre. Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu.
The suspects, identified as Isaiah Oyetayo, 30, Goddey Ajinde Samson, 26, and Popoola Felix, 28, were arrested on September 14 while the vessel was underway around the Lagos Fairway Buoy. According to the Navy, a tip-off from the Western Regional Control Centre prompted the NNS BEECROFT Quick Reaction Team at Tarkwa Bay to intercept the vessel and extract the men from its propeller compartment. Investigations showed they had boarded with a canoe at Apapa Port and hid in the propeller area before being discovered.
The Navy warned that hiding aboard vessels exposes youths to life-threatening risks and endangers crews and maritime operations. It urged parents and authorities to sensitise young people against illegal migration by sea, noting such incidents threaten safety across the West African sub-region. The Command said NNS BEECROFT remains committed to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas’s mission to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime interests and support joint operations.
