The Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS BEECROFT, has intercepted a boat laden with 44 bags of contraband rice.
The Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga made this known when handing over to the Nigerian Custom Marine Command in Lagos.
Commodore Oguntuga said the Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT during a routine patrol at approximately in the early hours of Wednesday, aided by the state-of-the-art Maritime Domain Awareness Facility, the Falcon Eye Alignment, made the seizure in the creeks of Agbara, Ogun state.
Commodore Oguntuga noted that the boat’s occupants, upon sighting the patrol team, abandoned the vessel and the contraband rice and fled.
The Commander NNS BEECROFT pointed out that the Nigerian Navy would sustain efforts at enforcing laws and assisting to uphold government policies including empowering small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to flourish.
Oguntuga stressed that the action of the Nigerian Navy at confiscating contraband and particularly the prevention of importation of foreign rice would boost efforts of local farmers towards revenue generation necessary to reduce poverty and food insecurity for economic prosperity.
Oguntuga said the Nigerian Navy under the watch of the Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ogalla remained resolute at curbing all forms of maritime crimes and ensuring national security and stability.
