The Eastern command of the Nigerian Navy in Calabar yesterday said it has intercepted a transport vessel, `Av Agamba’ , from Gabon carrying about 300 passengers, adding that half of them do not have valid travelling documents.
Briefing reporters at the shoreline of the Calabar waters, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Atiku Abdukadir, disclosed that Nigerians, as well as foreigners from West African Countries, Central African region, and about 100 children were also on board in the vessel.
The flag commanding officer said that out of the 183 Nigerians, 93 were children, adding that 83 of the children and majority of the adults had no travelling passport, but came into the country with `emergency travel certificates.’
Abdulkadir explained that the ship was, however, allowed to berth at the jetty because a majority of the passengers were Nigerians.
According to the FOC, the passengers with valid documents, after being checked by relevant agencies, will be cleared while more than half the number without valid documents will be repatriated back to Gabon.
Abdulkadir said that the police and the Department of State Security at the jetty would check the Nigerians on the ship to ensure that they pose no threat to the security of the nation.
He told reporters that: “We also have 41 foreigners on board this ship, out of which four are from the Central African region while others are from West African.
“Over 35 of them again are with emergency travel certificates and no passport. We are trying to work with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to re-assure ourselves that they are not of any dangerous character.
“It is a big concern to us that people are coming into this country without proper travel documents.
“Now that there is Lassa Fever and other health challenges, we also want to ensure that those that are here are of no health threat to the people around.”
The FOC added that: “We will hand the foreigners over to the Nigeria immigration service for proper check. Anyone found with illegal travel document would be sent back to Gabon.
“We are concerned about security; we want to ensure that the proper thing is done and we cannot afford to allow illegal immigrants into this country.”
While speaking, the Comptroller of the Cross River State Immigration, Funke Adeuyi, advised that parents should strongly discourage their children from travelling abroad without necessary documents.
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