Confusion reigned at Geberefun area of Badagry, Lagos State on Sunday, following the sighting of a mystery vessel in the lagoon close to the locality.

A reader, who gave the tip on the telephone around 9pm, said the mystery barge was sighted on Sunday evening floating towards the shore. He stated that what puzzled residents was the absence of human presence in the vessel.He said that a large crowd of residents and policemen gathered in the area, watching helplessly as the barge floated towards the shore. He said that some people, who braved the situation entered the vessel and said they found five big generators inside.

He said there was suspicion that the barge, which had a large vacuum inside, may have been used for illegal activities such as oil bunkering.
When contacted, the spokesman of the state police command, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed the development on the telephone. He said, “We have heard about it. But, the information at our disposal is sketchy. The villagers drew the attention of the police to the vessel.
“The marine police and the conventional police were mobilised to the scene immediately. The vessel appeared to be floating in no particular direction. It didn’t appear to be moving in any direction.

“For now, nobody can confirm what the situation is. We are trying to maintain skeletal security there. The conventional police are working with the villagers to maintain a presence there pending the relevant agencies investigate the matter.”

Also speaking on the telephone on the matter, Head, Public Relations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mrs. Ego Nwokocha, said the organisation had not received any information about the mystery vessel.

She told our correspondent that NIMASA had already sent out signals to its field units to investigate the information.

Source: http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201004265223857

Oh oh! Ghost Ship!!!

Sisi_Kill:

Oh oh! Ghost Ship!!!

and soon, like any ghost entity, it will disappear overnight and the police will know nothing about it.

Naija for life!

Tee hee

How much control do we really have over our borders, air space and waters? Oga o. Most Nigerians on here are constantly suffering from "we are the giant of africa" syndrome, but how the heck can a giant not have control over her waters and what not? There is nothing stopping a rogue nation from using our air space and waters for their own need and fire practice to be honest.

Oh before anyone talk about how we have Chinese fighters, oh give me a break. They are just that CHINESE fighters.

We are talking of unemployment when we haven't even started creating jobs in nigeria.All those riverine people,even makoko inhabitants can make good coast guards,all the government needs to do is train them up,equip and put them out there to patrol the sea,especially in a vital coastal state like lagos.

For all one knows that could have been a nuclear waste loaded badge.

ElRazur:

How much control do we really have over our borders, air space and waters? Oga o. Most Nigerians on here are constantly suffering from "we are the giant of africa" syndrome, but how the heck can a giant not have control over her waters and what not? There is nothing stopping a rogue nation from using our air space and waters for their own need and fire practice to be honest.

Oh before anyone talk about how we have Chinese fighters, oh give me a break. They are just that CHINESE fighters.

GBAM!

Our leaders and the so called youth have fallen for an irrelevant propganda about being the 'giant of Africa'. If we are , People like President Obama will not visit Ghana instead.

WE have the potential to be the giant of Africa(there is a difference between poential and reality), but we have not harness the potental instead we live in self denial.

BTW, that is a proper cargo vessell and  NOT a barge as reported by Punch Newspaper, Nigeria Press is another crap like our govt. ,  a barge is a a small boat, and that Vessel pictured there is at least 10,000mt cargo and container ship.

Badagry then don't have a cargo terminal if I am right, so what is a big cargo vessell looking for in  Badagry? Nigeria wil hail thee.

True talk.

I am a security freak and incidence like this get my brain into thinking mode. What if that container/barge/ship was laced with a dirty bomb by those fanatics or a rogue nation looking to spark a war in our region? I think we need to readdress a lot of issues, especially our Practice and Customs.

We've had "potentials" for almost 40 years, if Nigeria is a baby and it showed potentials of walking and talking from over forty years ago, I am sure loads of people for don give up and think something is definitely wrong.

Nigerian economy is what one can rightly call an unplanned economy,it just work for a few without any system in place.It is a barbaric situation.

Our Navy is busy beating and harassing Nigerians all over; failing in their primary role

Why are these Journalist Confusing people? They Are talking of a[b] floating Barge[/b] and they went to put the picture of an anchored Ship that has nothing to do with the situation they are describing . The ship in picture is actually the maersk ship that was impounded for the suspicion that it carried some Toxic waste.
Punch newspaper do your home work well.

I think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Hey, this shows our lack of control over our borders. THis could have been a terrorist attack.

and Asari Dokuboh was arrested the following day after the mysterious boat was found. Badagry to Seme is just a stone throw.
any correlations between his arrest and this boat or the disappearance of Ibori??

As the report indicates, the "Mystery Vessel" that ran aground on a Lagos beach is in fact the primary vessel type used by crude oil smugglers in the Niger Delta creeks.   Typically such barges are filled up with black gold directly from improvised tapping valves installed in crude oil pipelines.  Once full, the barges are towed a short distance offshore to waiting ocean going vessels converted to smuggle liquid crude.

Those "mother ships" then weigh anchor and set course for North African and European ports of the Mediterranean sea, where their cargo is discharged under falsified paperwork, for sale to a clandestine network of unscrupulous oil refinery officials operating along the southern coastal reaches of Spain, Portugal and Italy.  Payment for the stolen crude oil is made directly into numbered hard currency bank accounts held by a motley criminal crew comprising high-ranking Nigerian military and civilian officials, indigenous Niger Delta "freedom fighters", and a sprinkling of freelance black market crude oil prospectors from Russia.

The barge that ran ashore in Lagos may have broken its tow cable in bad weather, but it will hardly be missed by its operators, for such barges operate in floating convoys owned by very rich individuals who would calmly replace an entire fleet of ships if it were deemed necessary to maintain the uninterrupted flow of Nigeria's stolen crude oil. The parallel economy that exists by virtue of oil smuggling in the Niger Delta was thrived for decades, and will be as tough to kill as a swarm of fire ants.

@ poster, is that the actual picture of the ship?

I am a security freak and incidence like me get my brain into thinking mode. What if that container/barge/ship was laced with a dirty bomb by those fanatics or a rogue nation looking to spark a war in our region?

well done.

The only rogue nation to want to do this to Nigeria will be USA and UK.

, and finally the invisible aliens arrive.

ElRazur:



I am a security freak and incidence like me get my brain into thinking mode. What if that container/barge/ship was laced with a dirty bomb by those fanatics or a rogue nation looking to spark a war in our region? I think we need to readdress a lot of issues, especially our Practice and Customs.

You are taking the cesspit called Nigeria too seriously. Who in his or her right senses will spend much brain cell thinking about wiping out Nigeria with dirty bomb? I had sent them loads of poisoned champagne and still make profit out of the diabolical method.

Dede1:

You are taking the cesspit called Nigeria too seriously. Who in his or her right senses will spend much brain cell thinking about wiping out Nigeria with dirty bomb? I had sent them loads of poisoned champagne and still make profit out the diabolical method.

hehehehehehehe

Let use the ship t power the country. so how bright the ship is.

Dede1:


You are taking the cesspit called Nigeria too seriously. Who in his or her right senses will spend much brain cell thinking about wiping out Nigeria with dirty bomb? I had sent them loads of poisoned champagne and still make profit out of the diabolical method. 

Possibly. However, it should be noted that a few reports suggested that a plane can be used by terrorist to crash into tall rise buildings, but it was never taken serious. . . . Until 9/11 incident happened.

Security risks should be addressed, I think that is the point I am trying to make.

ElRazur:

Possibly. However, it should be noted that a few reports suggested that a plane can be used by terrorist to crash into tall rise buildings, but it was never taken serious.    .    .    .  Until 9/11 incident happened.

Security risks should be addressed, I think that is the point I am trying to make.

It's such a joke when Nigerians compare Nigeria to the United States.

ezeagu:

It's such a joke when Nigerians compare Nigeria to the United States.

Not sure there is a comparison as such, but merely highlighting how risk that are deemed a low level threat can proved to be dangerous.

Allow me to paint a simple scenario for you. A blast killing several hundreds of thousands can possibly bring out a war of some kind. A rogue nation will make money by arming all the warring sides.

What happened to this ship?