NIS MMIA receives Eleven Nigerian stowaways rescued from the High sea in Liberia

Nine officers of the Liberian Immigration service has handed over 11 Nigerians stowaways rescued on the high sea to the Nigeria Immigration Service at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

The 11 Nigerians and a Cameroonian aged between 24-40 years were flown into the country Thursday aboard Asky airline at about 4pm and handed over to Comptroller Immigration, MMIA, Mrs Adeola Adesokan by the leader of the Liberian Immigration officers Captain Mark Weaye.

The stowaways were said to have entered into the basement of a cargo ship named Ophelia Panama, at Tin Can Island port in Apapa, Lagos on the 7th of September believing the ship was heading straight to Europe.

After some days, the stowaways said, they ran out of food and to avoid starving to death, they presented themselves to the crew of the ship who physically tortured and threw them into the sea in three’s after spraying them with chemicals.

Two of the 13 stowaways were reported to have died in the process while the surviving 11 sustained various degrees of injuries and rescued by Liberian fishermen and handed to their Immigration service.

Three of the stowaways narrate their ordeal.

“When the ship was moving after four days our food finished and so we wanted help from the crew. Unfortunately, the crew started spraying us chemicals which were burning our skins while demanding us to jump into the high seas”.

While receiving the stowaways, the Comptroller Immigration Service, MMIA, Lagos, Mrs. Adeola Adesokan thanked the Liberian government and officers of the Liberian Immigration service for rescuing the stowaways describing the act as a noble and diplomatic gestures.
Cue in
She said, after proper profiling, they would be released to the appropriate authority.

“Their story is very harrowing, very pitiable, there was hot water flushing , thrown into the high sea and left to destiny.

“On behalf of the Controller General Isah Jere Idris we want to thank the Commander General for immigration for Liberia for their kind gesture”.

The names of the stowaways are Seyi Popoola, Precious Uwalogho, Ayetimiyi Kelvin, Stephen Junior, Emmanuel Benjamin, Balogun Gbenga, Temiotan Adewale, Igiebor Stephen, Hamza John, Alfred Ese and Ogechi Chika and one Cameroonian.