The Nigerian Navy ship OSE, NNS OSE has intercepted a vessel MV BLU-SHARK that, allegedly fled from Gabon without proper documentation.
A statement by the Navy’s Director of Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, on Friday stated that the vessel was intercepted in Calabar on May 6 at about 11.52hrs.
According to him, 11 crew members were arrested.
Adams-Aliu explained that the vessel was intercepted following an alert message on May 2, by the Multinational Maritime Coordination Center Zone D, which requested the search and possible arrest of the vessel with IMO number 8767783.
He said the vessel allegedly escaped from Port Gentil Gabon on May 2 at about 11:35pm without obtaining necessary customs clearance documents from the Gabonese maritime, judicial and customs authorities.
“The arrest of MV BLU-SHARK is 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,” he said.
Adams-Aliu said the arrest was also in line with Nigeria’s strategy for a safe and secure maritime environment to enhance the nation’s Blue Economy.
He said the 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.
According to him, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, has commended the officers and ratings of NNS OSE for their professionalism in apprehending the alleged fleeing vessel.
