Hardship made us do it – suspects
By Evelyn Usman
Three Nigerian boat drivers who sneaked aboard a Merchant Vessel, MV MAERSK CALABAR,
bound for Europe and hid inside its propeller compartment have been intercepted and rescued by the operatives of the Nigerian Navy, around the Fairway Buoy on the Lagos waters.
The suspects:Isaiah Oyetayo (30); Goddey Samson(26) and Popoola Felix (28) were reportedly discovered aboard the vessel on Monday, September 14, 2026, after the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Beecroft, received information about their presence.
Briefing journalists at the hand over of the suspects to the Nigeria Immigration Service, yesterday, at the NNS Beecroft parade ground, Apapa, Lagos, the Commander ,NNS Beecroft, Commodore Aiwiyor Adams-Aliu, said, “ Following a tip-off from the Western Regional Control Centre, the NNS BEECROFT Quick Reaction Team stationed at Tarkwa Bay intercepted the vessel and safely extracted the suspects from its propeller compartment.
“They were subsequently conveyed to NNS BEECROFT for preliminary investigation and profiling. Further investigation revealed that the suspects boarded MV MAERSK CALABAR ,while the vessel was at Apapa Port. They reportedly used a canoe to access the vessel before hiding in the propeller compartment. Their presence was discovered after the vessel got underway, leading to the intervention of NNS BEECROFT”
Represented by the Executive Officer, NNS Beecroft, Captain Olarewaju Oginni, he noted that the incident highlighted the serious risks associated with unauthorised access to seagoing vessels. He He posited that “individuals who attempt to conceal themselves onboard vessels in pursuit of illegal migration expose themselves to potentially life-threatening conditions, while also creating significant safety and security concerns for the vessels and their crews”.
He therefore called on parents, guardians, and other authority figures to discourage youths from engaging in such dangerous acts and to sensitise them on the risks associated with attempting to travel illegally by sea, noting that “the dangers involved are not limited to Nigeria, as such incidents can have wider implications for maritime safety and security across the West African sub-region.
He reiterated that “ NNS BEECROFT, under my command, will continue to actualise the mission of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, which is to deploy a highly motivated and professional naval force capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime interests and contributing effectively to joint operations in defence of national sovereignty and the maintenance of internal stability”.
Hardship made us do it – suspects
The suspects, all boat drivers, blamed their actions on hardship. One of them, Popoola, who said he is married with four children, admitted that he was aware that the journey could cost him his life.
According to him: “I wanted to go and look for a better life. The problem is too much in Nigeria. I just wanted to survive, save money, pay school fees and help my family. I am not comfortable with what I am doing. I wanted to go there, get a good job and support my family.”
Like Popoola , his partner, Samson 26, a boat driver, said he decided to embark on the journey because he wanted a better life for himself and his family.
The third suspect, Isaiah, also a boat driver, said he previously operated a passenger boat between Lagos and Cotonou but lost his source of livelihood after the business declined.
According to him : “I was driving boats from Lagos to Cotonou, carrying people from Lagos to Cotonou. But later, after the fare price increased due to increase of petrol , the work started dropping.
“ Unfortunately, the engine of the boat I was driving developed a fault. I asked my boss to buy another engine, but he said there was no money to buy one. That was why I left the company. Later, I decided to move on with my life and made up to board the ship to Germany.
“ The ship had already been moving for about six hours. It was already near the deep waters, when all of a sudden it turned . Maybe somebody passed the information to them that there were some people inside the vessel. Before we knew what was happening, they had already called the Navy to come and rescue us,” he said in a tone full of regrets.
The suspects according to the Navy would be handed over to the nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation.
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