NIGERIAN NAVY TIGHTENS COASTAL SECURITY AS NNS BEECROFT TRANSFERS SEIZED RICE TO CUSTOMS

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has handed over 58 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice to the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, reinforcing ongoing inter-agency efforts to curb economic sabotage and illicit maritime trade along Nigeria’s waterways.

In a statement released by the Base Information Officer, NNS BEECROFT, Lieutenant Hussaini Ibrahim, the seizure was traced to an operation conducted on 31st August 2025, by a patrol team stationed at Liverpool, Apapa. Acting on credible intelligence, naval personnel intercepted two wooden boats conveying the consignment of suspected smuggled rice. The suspects reportedly fled the scene upon sighting the patrol team, abandoning both the boats and the contraband.

The handover ceremony, which took place on Thursday, 18th December 2025, underscored the Nigerian Navy’s sustained campaign against smuggling and other maritime crimes. Representing the Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Rear Admiral Paul Ponfa Nimmyel, the Executive Officer, Captain Idongesit Udoessien, reaffirmed the Navy’s resolve to deny criminal networks freedom of action within Nigeria’s coastal and inland waterways.

The operation aligns with the strategic vision of the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, aimed at strengthening maritime security and safeguarding the nation’s economic interests. The Navy continues to prioritize co-operation with sister security agencies to ensure a secure maritime environment conducive to legitimate commercial and socio-economic activities.

Captain Udoessien also commended the professionalism and vigilance of NNS BEECROFT personnel, noting that intelligence led operations remain central to successful interdictions. He further encouraged members of the public to support security agencies by providing timely and actionable information to enhance safety and security across Lagos State and beyond.

The seized items were formally transferred to the Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, Kehinde Alade Saliman, of the Western Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa, for further investigation and necessary action in line with extant regulations.