The Nigerian Navy has intercepted a Belgian vessel at the Tin-Can Island Port Complex (TCIPC) laden with imported used electronics suspected to be toxic waste.
The seized vessel, MV Eurocargo Salemo, was alleged to have arrived in Nigeria from Belgium carrying used refrigerators harbouring toxic waste concealed in three trucks.
Chris Ezekobe, the commander, NNS Beecroft, Naval Base, Apapa, Lagos, said that the Navy had questioned the captain of the ship, the second mate and third mate: Claudia Mondino, Raffaele Dimartino, and Eugenio Ruffo, respectively.
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According to him, the National Environmental Standards Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) had provided the intelligence report that alerted the Navy on the arrival of the vessel.
The Navy chief said, “Based on the information, the Nigerian Navy posted its personnel to be on the lookout for the ship”.
Noting that the vessel was sighted in Nigerian waters last Wednesday, and was promptly arrested, Ezekobe said, “We are handing over the vessel to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which will alongside NESREA search the vessel to determine the extent of the toxic waste. Our job was to arrest, which we have done, but we do not have the capacity to test for toxic materials, which is in the purview of NESREA.”
