LAGOS, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 stowaways have been arrested by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy, an official said Sunday.
Spokesperson for the regulatory agency Lami Tumaka said in a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos that the arrest was carried out on Friday at the Lagos Fairway Bouy.
She said the arrest was sequel to a distress signal sent to the Regional Search and Rescue Coordination Center based.
Tumaka said the center, in turn, alerted the Nigerian Navy.
The spokesperson added that the crew of the Hong Kong flagged vessel, had originally thought that they were under attack by armed pirates.
According to her, preliminary investigation showed that the persons on board the vessel were only intruders who hid in the vessel to leave Nigeria in search of greener pastures in the United States.
