Navy Impounds Camerounian Vessel for Violating Entry Permit

Nigerian Navy

A Camerounian vessel, MV Anna Maria, which Thursday entered Nigeria’s territorial waters without notification, has been impounded by officers and men of the Nigerian Navy NNS Victory in Calabar, Cross River State.

The ship, which was loaded with passengers and goods incurred the wrath of the Nigerian Navy when it failed to wait at Nigeria’s international maritime boundary for escort by Nigerian Naval men into the country’s territorial waters, as expected. 

It was gathered that the ship was being detained at the berthing point of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) base in Calabar, with all the passengers looking dejected.

However, the Commander of NNS Victory, Navy Commodore James Oladapo Oluwole, told journalists yesterday, that the vessel would be released when the Navy was satisfied with their investigation.

Following the increase in kidnapping of pilots, crew members and some passengers at the Gulf of Guinea by suspected members of Niger Delta militants, the Nigerian Navy, since January this year, had been escorting vessels entering the country from the maritime boundary with the Republic of Cameroun and Equatorial Guinea and when going back.

But MV Anna Maria ran foul of this understanding by sailing into Nigerian waters without information hence the decision to impound it for thorough search and its mission in the country.

“The problem of Calabar water channel is of international dimension, that is persistent kidnapping of vessels and pilots from Cameroun which gives Nigeria a bad name. But the Navy has put in place proper strategy, unfortunately instructions are not adhered to. One of the solution is proper coordination.

“We detained the vessel because it berthed without information. The captain has written a statement to show that they had no patience to wait where we used to pick them from. This is the last time this will be tolerated. Proper timing and departure is the rule. We are determined to ensure that no vessel is harassed in our waterways.

“This is what we have resolved. The navy is here to give you the best but you must cooperate. The navy will continue to do its job. For the past three months, no vessel has been attack because of naval policing,” he said.

The Captain of the ship, Mr. Tankwa Dieudonne, while reacting to the development, said  he waited at the boundary for a long time but did not find the Nigerian Navy to escort his vessel into the country and decided to sail into it.