Seven stowaways, including two Ghanaians, two Liberians and three Nigerians aboard an international maritime vessel, MT Electra Bari, which was heading for Spain, have been arrested by naval personnel off Fairway buoy, Lagos.

The stowaways, whose ages are between 17 and 25, reportedly sneaked into the tanker that came to discharge petroleum products at Apapa tank farms, last Saturday.

Before they were handed over to officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Apapa, Lagos, Rear Admiral Jonathan Ango, said: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the stowaways boarded the vessel while she was discharging her products and their intention was to follow the vessel to Holland.

“On completion of its operations, MT Electra Bari with IMO number 941682 left for Lome, Togo. It was while in Togo she discovered some strange people on board and established communication with Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Ikot Abasi, which effected the arrest of seven stowaways.”

One of them, 23-year-old Kwekwu Asamoa, disclosed that the botched trip was his second attempt to go to Europe illegally.

His first attempt, according to him, was two years ago, after he boarded a ship from Ghana, which he thought was heading for Europe, only to find himself in Nigeria.

Another stowaway, Enugu state-born Maxwell Madu, blamed his foiled attempt on frustration, alleging that several efforts made to fend for his family were thwarted by officials of Lagos State task force.

The father of one said: “What have I not done to live a decent life? I was selling clothes at Tinubu Square, but Lagos State task force officials seized my goods.

“I then bought motorcycle (Okada), but it was seized by the same task force. I was frustrated because I had no means of fending for my wife and child. That was when I decided to look for a way out.”