By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, has explained the circumstances leading to the arrest of a vessel, MV BLU-SHARK with IMO number 8767783 on May 6, 2024.
A statement issued in Abuja on Friday from the Naval Headquarters and signed by Commodore A. Adams-Aliu for the Chief of the Naval Staff, disclosed why and how the arrest of the vessel was arrested.
According to the statement, the Multinational Maritime Co-ordination Center Zone D had on May 2, 2024 issued an alert message for a search and possible arrest of MV BLU-SHARK with IMO number 8767783.
It said the vessel was alleged to have escaped from Port Gentil Gabon on 2 May 2024 at about 11:35pm without obtaining necessary customs clearance documents from the Gabonese maritime, judicial and customs authorities.
“Following the alert, the Nigerian Navy (NN) using her Maritime Domain Awareness facilities vectored Nigerian Navy Ship OSE (NNS OSE) to intercept and arrest the vessel.
“NNS OSE successfully arrested the vessel at about 1152hours on 6 May 2024 at Latitude 040 49 929’E, Longitude 008017 602’E, off Calabar waters,” the statement said.
It explained that the arrest of MV BLU-SHARK was “part of existing collaborative efforts between regional maritime security agencies in the Gulf of Guinea under the Yaoundé Code of Conduct on Maritime Security in the Region.”
“It is also in line with the Chief of Naval Staff Strategic end state towards a safe and secure maritime environment in order to enhance the Nation’s Blue Economy,” it added.
The statement further assured that the Nigerian Navy would conduct preliminary investigations to ascertain the veracity of the allegation with a view to handling the vessel in line with the dictates of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct.
Vice Admiral Ogalla also commended the officers and ratings of NNS OSE for their professionalism in apprehending the alleged fleeing vessel, just as he reiterated the Navy’s commitment to collaborating with neighboring countries to combat transnational maritime crimes in the region.
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