The Quick Response Team of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, under its new Base Commander, Commodore Paul Ponfa Nimmyel, has stepped up its operations, resulting in the interception of a large wooden boat en route to the Republic of Benin and the arrest of seven suspects attempting to escape.
The seized vessel, with a capacity for 480 drums, was found to contain three pumping machines, eight Yamaha 40-horsepower outboard engines, and other exhibits.
Speaking during a briefing yesterday, Commodore Nimmyel showcased the confiscated items and detailed recent operations aimed at bolstering security in the Lagos maritime corridor and beyond. He noted that these successes align with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, for the 2023-2026 operational framework.
โBetween February 10 and 11, 2025, NNS Beecroft carried out high-impact seizures and arrests that disrupted illicit activities, sending a strong warning to criminal elements operating in Nigerian waters,โ Nimmyel said.
Highlighting a key operation, he disclosed: โOn February 10, the Quick Response Team intercepted a large wooden boat headed for the Republic of Benin. After a pursuit, naval personnel apprehended seven suspects attempting to flee. The vessel, capable of holding 480 drums, was also loaded with three pumping machines, eight Yamaha outboard engines, and other critical items.โ
In another operation on the same day, acting on credible intelligence, NNS Beecroft personnel intercepted boats smuggling Cannabis sativa at Topo Badagryโs water axis and at Long Jetty. Although the suspects managed to escape, a search of the area led to the recovery of 28 bags containing 1,120 kilogrammes of the illicit substance.
โAll confiscated items were handed over to the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and prosecution, in line with the Nigerian Navyโs standard operating procedures,โ Nimmyel added.
The Base Commander reaffirmed NNS Beecroftโs commitment to maritime security, noting that the base had intensified collaboration with other security agencies to address oil bunkering, smuggling, and other illicit operations threatening Nigeriaโs economic and security interests. (Guardian)