By Okosun Dennis
The Nigerian Navy Beecroft has intercepted a Fibre Boat within the Atlas Cove general area and recovered 4,000 litres of product suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
The product, siphoned from an undisclosed source, was contained in different sizes of drums.
Briefing the press at the NNS Beecroft jetty, Apapa, on Thursday, 16th October, 2025, the NNS Beecroft Commander, Commodore Paul Ponfa Nimmyel, who was represented by the Executive Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT, Captain Idongesit Udoessien, disclosed that the base patrol team stationed at Tarkwa Bay, through the instrumentality of the Nigerian Navy Maritime Domain Awareness facility – the Western Regional Control Centre of the Falcon Eye Alignment – intercepted the Fibre Boat.
He affirmed that the suspect, on sighting the patrol team, fled and abandoned the product.
In accordance with the best practices, and to enable other government agencies to carry out further investigation, the product was handed over to the representative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, Superintendent Amoo Kehinde.
According to him, the interception of the boat was carried out in the early hours of Saturday, 11 October 2025, around approaches to Commodore Pool within the Atlas Cove general area.
In line with the Strategic Directive under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, to maintain a credible presence along Lagos waterways and adjoining creeks to rid the maritime environment of all forms of economic sabotage and crimes, the force has successfully made several interceptions.
However, Commodore Nimmyel used the opportunity to warn the perpetrators of maritime crimes and economic sabotage to desist from such acts, as NNS BEECROFT will not rest on its oars to ensure that all criminal elements operating within its area of operation are frustrated.
Responding to questions on whether they have been able to uncover the source of the product, Captain Idongesit Udoessien, the Executive Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT,
explained that the deployment of the technology has helped immeasurably at tracking the activities of maritime criminals with a view to getting them out of illegal businesses and acts inimical to economic prosperity.
He further reiterated that the Nigerian Navy would continue to dominate the maritime sector and suffocate criminals in their nefarious activities.
On why the suspects are always evading arrest, thereby abandoning their products on sighting the patrol team, Captain Udoessien added that they are re-strategizing and working with other agencies in the maritime sector to clip their wings and make the maritime sector safe for economic activity to thrive.
He assured that they would continue to intensify surveillance, patrols, and intelligence-driven missions to deny criminals freedom to operate within Lagos waterways and adjoining creeks for socio-economic activities to thrive.
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