Navy destroys illegal merchant naval training camp in Lagos

Naval operatives attached to the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS BEECROFT, Apapa have destroyed an illegal Nigerian Merchant Navy Coastal Defence Force training camp located at Oto Awori, Ijanikin area along the Lagos - Badagry Expressway.

Fifteen people, comprising four staff members and 11 trainees, were arrested by the Nigerian Navy.

The arrest of the suspects was made possible following an earlier arrest of a man who identified himself as Navy Warrant Officer Lukumon Bello, by soldiers at Irekiti in Badagry.

After interrogation, men of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Badagry led by the Commanding Officer, Commodore Simon Gerson Dogo, swooped on the camp and arrested additional 15 persons.

Parading the suspects at the Command Headquarters, Apapa, the Commander, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Maurice Eno gave their names as Commander Adewale Seun (CO), Mr Musa Masiru - trainee; Miss Olabimi Bisola; Lukman Bello; Sunday Sule; Ilesanmi Quadri; Dauda Dogara; Beshel Godswill; Lt Adeoye Busuyi; SM Awha Seyon; OS Monday James; Miss Cecilia U. Okpa -Trainee; Manmanse Foiter O.S; Mr Olowokere Babatunde -Trainee; and Adebayo Blessing - Trainee.

He further disclosed that the recruited suspects were made to pay N30, 000 as training fees, and that the illegal facility had 35 trainees out of which 23 other trainees were yet to resume training after the Christmas break.

Cdre Eno reiterated that the training camp was operated illegally as maritime agencies had been dissolved and proscribed by the federal government.

One of the trainees, Miss Olabimi Bisola, said she paid N55, 000 for both the forms and trainee letter. “We were supposed to spend six months but had only completed three months training before we were arrested by the Navy,” she said.

The arrested Commanding Officer of the training camp, Commander Adewale Seun tried to justify the existence of Nigerian Merchant Navy Coastal Defence Force, insisting that it was not proscribed by the federal government.

He said every necessary documentation had been perfected awaiting assent by the government, that they were not part of the Merchant Navy that had been outlawed. He reiterated that they no longer used the Nigerian Navy’s uniforms and the Navy had no right to arrest them.