Chiemelie Ezeobi
In a renewed demonstration of inter-agency collaboration and maritime law enforcement, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, on Thursday, 17 July 2025, officially handed over 45 bags of seized cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Marine Command.
The handover ceremony, which took place at the NNS Beecroft base in Apapa, Lagos, followed the successful interception of the illicit consignment by the Base’s Quick Response Team. Acting on credible intelligence, naval operatives had on 4 July 2025 discovered and impounded two wooden boats suspected to be ferrying illegal drugs through the Takwa Bay and Ilesha axis.
The consignment, weighing approximately 1,575 kilograms, was carefully offloaded and secured pending formal handover to the relevant authority. According to naval sources, the operation was executed swiftly and without incident, reflecting the professionalism and readiness of the Nigerian Navy in responding to maritime threats and criminal activity within its jurisdiction.
Speaking at the event, the Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore P. P. Nimmyel, who was represented by the Executive Officer, Captain Idongesit Udoessien, described the seizure as part of a broader strategy to stem the tide of drug trafficking and other illicit activities within Nigeria’s coastal waters.
“The operation reflects the Nigerian Navy’s resolve under the leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, Admiralty Medal, to curb the trafficking of narcotics and other contraband through the nation’s waterways,” Captain Udoessien said.
He reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy, as a critical arm of the nation’s security infrastructure, remains committed to ensuring safety within Nigeria’s maritime domain. He further stressed the importance of synergy among the nation’s security agencies, noting that such cooperation is essential to effectively confronting the growing complexity of transnational crimes.
“The Nigerian Navy remains committed to supporting ongoing operations and collaborating with sister agencies to safeguard lives and property within Nigeria’s maritime domain,” he added.
Captain Udoessien also took the opportunity to commend the alertness and professionalism of the naval officers and ratings who participated in the operation. He noted that their conduct not only ensured the safe recovery of the contraband but also prevented the potential distribution of harmful substances within communities across Nigeria.
He urged members of the public to play a more active role in national security by providing timely and credible information to security agencies. According to him, intelligence from local sources remains one of the most effective tools in disrupting criminal networks operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.
The 45 bags of cannabis sativa were formally handed over to Deputy Commander of Narcotics (DCN), Morrison Udo, who received the items on behalf of the NDLEA. Udo praised the Nigerian Navy for its proactive operations and reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to follow up with thorough investigations and appropriate prosecution of the culprits behind the attempted shipment.
He said the collaboration between the NDLEA and the Nigerian Navy has continued to yield significant results, especially in intercepting drugs trafficked through Nigeria’s inland waterways, a route increasingly favoured by traffickers due to heightened security checks on land.
This latest seizure adds to the growing list of operations by NNS Beecroft and other naval commands across the country in recent months. It underscores the Navy’s intensified posture under Vice Admiral Ogalla’s leadership to maintain a robust presence at sea and deny criminal elements the freedom to operate.
The Nigerian Navy has, in recent times, recorded successes in not only counter-narcotics efforts but also in stemming smuggling, piracy, oil theft, and illegal fishing, all of which pose serious threats to national economic and security interests.
The handover at NNS Beecroft served as both a milestone and a message that the nation’s maritime security architecture remains vigilant, coordinated, and resolute in its mandate to secure Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Leave a comment