LIBERIAN OFFICIALS RESCUE 11 NIGERIAN STOWAWAYS BOUND FOR EUROPE

After being tortured and dumped in the sea by ship's crew members, Liberian officials rescue 11 Nigerian stowaways bound for Europe

Officers from the Liberian Immigration Service have handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service 11 Nigerian stowaways who were rescued at sea (NIS).

On Thursday, October 6, 2022, 11 Nigerians and one Cameroonian aged 24 to 40 arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

Seyi Popoola, Precious Uwalogho, Ayetimiyi Kelvin, Stephen Junior, Emmanuel Benjamin, Balogun Gbenga, Temiotan Adewale, Igiebor Stephen, Hamza John, Alfred Ese, and Ogechi Chika are among the stowaways.

According to reports, the stowaways all sneaked into the basement of the Ophelia Panama, a cargo ship at Tin Can Island, Apapa, Lagos, around 12 midnight on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, after traveling to the ship on a smaller boat.

They entered with their personal belongings and some food, hoping to make it to any country in Europe. The ship set sail for Europe in the morning, with no knowledge of the crew members.

However, on the fifth day of their journey, after they had exhausted all of their food supplies and were on the verge of starvation, they all decided to present themselves to the ship's crew in the hope of some sympathy and food for survival.

They were, however, all subjected to severe physical and mental torture before being dumped into the waters in groups of three by the crew members.

Two Nigerians died and 11 were injured before being rescued by Liberian fishermen who handed them over to their Immigration service.

One of the victims described their ordeal as follows: "When the ship was moving after four days our food finished and so we wanted help from the crew. Unfortunately, the crew started spreying us chemicals which were burning our skins while asking us to jump into the high seas."