The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry has intensified its crackdown on cross border crimes, recording fresh operational gains against smugglers and human traffickers operating along Nigeria’s western waterways and land borders.
The Base disclosed that intelligence driven operations conducted across the Badagry Porto Novo Creek and adjoining land corridors led to the interception of large quantities of smuggled goods, the seizure of vehicles used for illegal activities and the rescue of victims of human trafficking.
According to the Commanding Officer of FOB Badagry, Navy Captain SKM Kabir, the operations reflect the Nigerian Navy’s renewed determination to strengthen border security, combat economic sabotage and protect vulnerable persons within its Area of Operations.
One of the major breakthroughs was the interception of 529 bags of foreign parboiled rice suspected to have been smuggled into Nigeria through illegal routes along the Badagry waterways.
In line with established procedures, the Navy handed over the seized rice to the Nigeria Customs Service on Monday. Of the total quantity, 420 bags were transferred to the Seme Area Command, while another 109 bags were delivered to the Western Marine Command at the Base Jetty.
The Base also recorded another success during operations targeting fuel smuggling networks. Personnel intercepted Premium Motor Spirit allegedly being moved across the border illegally and confiscated three vehicles linked to the operation.
The seized items, comprising the three vehicles, 51 gallons of Premium Motor Spirit and 11 empty gallons, were officially handed over on Tuesday to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Badagry Command, for further investigation and necessary action.
In a separate operation, the Navy disrupted a suspected human trafficking network and rescued two victims within its operational area. The victims were subsequently taken to the Western Naval Command Maritime Crime Investigation Desk for documentation and biometric capture in accordance with national procedures.
Following the documentation process, the rescued victims were transferred to officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Ikeja Office, for rehabilitation and further investigation in line with the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedures on human trafficking cases.
Captain Kabir said the successful operations demonstrate the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain through effective inter agency collaboration. He reaffirmed that FOB Badagry would sustain intelligence driven operations against smugglers, traffickers and other criminal elements while urging members of the public to provide credible information to support national security efforts.