Navy Arrests Fleeing MV Blu-Shark In Nigerian Waters

 The Nigerian Navy said it appre­hended the MV BLU-SHARK, IMO 8767783, which allegedly es­caped from Port Gentil in Gabon.

The arrest is part of an ongo­ing collaboration between region­al maritime security agencies in the Gulf of Guinea under the Yaoundé Code of Conduct for Maritime Security in the region.

According to Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, Director of Naval Information, the Multi­national Maritime Coordination Centre D has issued an alert mes­sage for the search and possible arrest of MV BLU-SHARK, which allegedly left Gabon’s Port Gentil without obtaining necessary Cus­toms Clearance documents from Gabonese Maritime, Judicial, and Customs authorities.

The statement went on to say that after receiving the alert, the Nigerian Navy used its Maritime Domain Awareness facilities to direct Nigerian Navy Ship OSE (NNS OSE) to intercept and arrest the vessel on May 6, 2024, off Cal­abar waters.

Commodore Aiwuyor Ad­ams-Aliu also stated that the Ni­gerian Navy will conduct prelim­inary investigations to determine the veracity of the allegations before handling the vessel by the Yaounde Code of Conduct.

He also stated that the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Em­manuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, took advantage of the laudable feat to commend NNS OSE officers and ratings for their professionalism in apprehending the alleged flee­ing vessel, as well as to reiterate the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to collaborating with neighbour­ing countries to combat trans­national maritime crimes in the region.