Navy transfers suspects, weapons to INTERPOL

The Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday handed over the nine suspects arrested on board a service boat, SEA ANGEL 3, four firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered to the International Police (INTERPOL).

Three Greeks, an American and five Nigerians were on Sunday arrested on the boat during a joint naval operation between Nigerian and United States (US) navies within the nation’s western waters.

Handing over the suspects to Deputy Commissioner of Police INTERPOL, Lagos Command, Tunji Akingbola, the Officer in-charge of Tactical Command (OTC), Commodore Dickson Olisemenogor, said the captain of the boat had lied during radio interrogation that there were only five Nigerians on board, only for the special forces to discover that there were white men as well as MI-1 rifles and over 1,000 ammunition.

Olisemenogor said: “Before now, we went out there to make arrest and we handed over to relevant agencies, but the activities of these criminals have continued unabated.

“This time, we made a detailed search and interrogation of ships at sea. When we interrogated the captain and crew members, they made us believe that there were only five Nigerians on board.

“The boat was painted in navy colour, and this aroused our suspicion. They were not shining their electronic gadget at sea, which will indicate their position, as stipulated by the International Maritime Organisation. This attracted our attention.

“We boarded and discovered that there were more than five persons on board. There were five Nigerians, three Greeks and an American.

“Further search on the boat revealed that they had four MI rifles that can do anything at sea and over 1000 rounds of ammunition with them, as well as various military kits.

“What they are doing on our waters, we do not know. We are handing over the suspects, exhibits and boats to the Nigeria Police.”

DCP Akingbola, who said he was directed by the acting Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, to take over the suspects and exhibits, added that the police would begin investigation immediately.

He said the police would write the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to ascertain the immigration status of the suspects, adding that findings would be made public.