The Nigerian Navy on Monday handed over a 15-man Russian crew to the Nigeria Police to be prosecuted for weapons smuggling.
A
reliable source had reported the arrest of the vessel on October 20,
2012, at the Lagos Roadstead of the nation’s waterways by personnel of
the Nigerian Navy Shi, Andoni,for illegal entry into the nation’s
waterways.
The Navy also arrested the crew for non-declaration of cargo and possession of cache of arms and ammunition.
About
8,598 ammunition, 14 AK47 rifles and 20 Benelli MRI rifles were
recovered from the Russian ship, Merchant Vessel Myre Sea Diver, Avatiu,
after the ship was searched.
On Monday however, the Navy handed over the Russians and the recovered arms to the Nigeria Police.
The crew was formally handed over to the men of the Special Fraud Unit,
Force Criminal Investigation Department at the Western Naval Command,
Apapa, Lagos.
Commanding Officer, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Martin
Njoku, said the handing over of the suspects was necessary because the
Navy did not have the power to prosecute them, adding that the service
had faith in the ability of the police to carry out thorough
investigation.
Njoku said the Navy released only the crew members to the police and not the vessel and ammunition.
While receiving the crew members, the Deputy Commissioner of Police,
SFU, Bashiru Muazu, said the police would complete the investigations
and prosecute the crew if found culpable.
He said, “For the navy
to have handed over the suspects to the police, it means the suspects
have a case to answer and we will ensure that a thorough investigation
is carried out.
“We will also ensure speedy and quality investigation as well as
prosecution of the suspects if need be. But for now, we will detain the
Russians until we complete our investigation.
“So far, we have no
clue as to the owner of the arms and ammunition or where the suspects
were carrying them to; but that is what we intend to find out.”
Source: Punch
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