The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) has forwarded 12 foreign nationals to the Liberia Maritime Commission through their requisite Embassies to begin the process of repatriation to their country of origin with immediate effect.
“These individuals have since been brought to Monrovia by officers of LIS and are currently under the custody of LIS pending their repatriation of their country of origin after the matter shall have been finally concluded,” the LIS boss said.
The LIS through its Commissioner, Robert Budy, told a news conference that the act committed by the Captain and crew men of the MV OPHELIA PANAMA VESSEL, does not only contravenes Maritime international Convention, but also violates section 5.64 of the Alien and Nationality law of Liberia, under the Captain “Exclusion of Stowaways.”
Section 5.64 states “ The Owner, Charterer, Agent, Consignee, Master, or Commanding officer of any vessel or aircraft arriving from any place outside thereof, who fails to detain or at such other place, as may be designated by an immigration Officer any alien Stowaways, until such stowaway has been inspected by an immigration Officer, or who fails to detain such stowaways on board or at such other designate place after inspection, if ordered to do so by an immigration Officer or who fails to deport such stowaways on the vessel or aircraft on which he arrived or another vessel or aircraft at the expense of the vessel or aircraft on which he arrived, when required to do so by an Immigration officer, shall pay to the collector of custom in the Port of arrival the sum of $1,000 for each alien Stowaways, with respect to whom such failure occurs.”
Meanwhile, the information was made public in the presence of Nigerian Ambassador to Liberia, Goodfrey A.E Oduligbor and the Cameroonian Ambassador, Beng’ Yela Augustine Gang who thereafter congratulated the Liberian security in separate remarks.
Recently, the country’s attention was drawn to serious security threats arising from the illegal and unlawful discharge and dumping of 12 stowaways, 11 of whom are Nigerians and one Cameroonian at deep and high sea by “MV OPHELIA VESSEL” in the territorial waters of Liberia, without any regard of the laws of Liberia and other international protocols, having got on board said vessel from Larger Nigeria, APAPA PORT, Tinker Island, during the night hours on September 6, 2022.
However, of the 12 persons that were illegally and lawfully discharged and dumped at sea, eight persons (stowaways) were rescued by locals, in conjunction with the Liberia Immigration Service’s Rescue Team on September 11, 2022, while four were rescued by Kru fisher men, on the shore of the Coastal Town of Gbanken in Grand Kru County, two of the stowaways are currently missing and being searched for by the rescue Team of the Liberia Immigration Service.
The Nigerians boarded the ship illegally from Lagos, Nigeria which was believed to be sailing to Japan, but two met their demise as others were fortunate to be alive.
Reacting to the incident, Maritime Commissioner, Lenn Eugene Nagbe revealed that LiMA has instituted a panel to investigate the matter and will ensure that all criminals are brought to book.
On Saturday, the Liberia Immigration Service began working with LiMA to hasten the investigation and Nagbe said the agency has taken some measures of both national and international maritime standards on the incident.
The report listed the measures as: “transmitted a formal communication to the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization informing him of the incident. The communication is also soliciting the cooperation and support of IMO in the investigative process.
Panama has the responsibility to ensure the enforcement of relevant international instruments being the flag state of the vessel while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia extended it to other regional bodies including the Nigerian government in Abuja its willingness to assist in apprehending the vessel.
The ship owner and the agent were informed to make representation and participate in discussions regarding arranging and financing the maintenance and repatriation of the stowaways,” the report added.
At least two Nigerians were believed to have been killed and thrown into the ocean while aboard the Ophelia Panama ship off the shores of Gbanken Beach in Grand Kru while the FrontPage Africa on Tuesday reported that 12 other Nigerians escaped and were rescued by fishermen at the beach close to about five kilometres from Grand Cess City.
Others reportedly swam on shore and were rescued though with multiple wounds on their bodies during the night and morning hours of September 11 and 12 respectively.
A FrontPage Africa telephone interview with the Head of the Joint Security Task Force in Grand Kru, Chris Teah, it was disclosed that the ship had left Lagos, Nigeria about five days and passed through the area when the incident occurred.
“The ship was less than a mile from the shore. Six Nigerians swam and came on shore. They told us that they were 14 Nigerians who were going to Japan. They believed that the crew members on the ship could be Japanese or Chinese because they look alike,” Teah said.
When they had spent five days without food and water on the ship from Lagos, they began protesting which apparently exposed their identities and while deep in the sea, the crew sprayed hot water on them and two of their colleagues were killed while six persons swam to get on shore, they explained to Teah.
According to the Nigerians, they got on the ship secretly, but were discovered when they went out of food and started hitting the yacht so that the crew can get the information that people were on board the ship.
They explained that the crew came to their rescue and entertained them for about two days but on the third day, they started maltreating them up to the time they arrived on the Liberian waters and Teah disclosed thatit was a Fanti boat from Grand Cess that later went on the ocean to rescue the others who were thrown off the ship.
Teah pointed out that the last pair of Nigerians thrown into the ocean were also rescued on brought to shore alive, bringing the total number of persons rescued to 12 and those rescued are currently in the custody of the Joint Security.
