IPNEWS-Grand Kru: According to IPNEWS correspondent in Grand Kru County, Twelve Nigerian fare-dodgers (runaways) have been rescued by fishermen in Grandcess, Grand Kru County after allegedly been thrown in the Ocean by a Chinese Cargo Ship with service name “OPHELIA PANAMA”
According to the Nigerians, they got on board the ship from Nigeria traveling to Japan to seek job opportunities due to the economic downturn they faced in their country.
In a chat with IPNEWS, Emmanuel Bea a member of the Rescue team, he narrated there were about 14 Nigerians stowaways on the ship who were reportedly making their way from Nigeria to Japan, but after they were discovered they were thrown overboard. Hs said due to the chemical wasted in the sea by the Chinese, two of the Nigerians could not survive after they reported drank enough sea water and subsequently died.
The 12 Nigerian nationals have been turned over to the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) Grand Kru detachment for further investigation, and were given assurance by the LIS that they will be protected in keeping with the Alien and Nationality law.
Meanwhile, the Rescued Nigerian have expressed gratitude to the Fishermen of Grandcess and citizens, residents, including the LIS for turning out to help save their lives.
Meanwhile, a local daily FrontPage Africa reports that Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) Chief of Staff, Brig/Gen. Prince C. Johnson, III disclosed a team from the Liberia Coast Guard has been dispatched to Grand Kru County.
The paper also reports that Grand Kru County Superintendent Doris Ylatun disclosed that the Countyโs legislative caucus has been informed about the situation. She disclosed that the caucus, through its Chairman Deputy House Speaker Fonati Koffa, has already informed authorities of the Ministry of National Defense.
She, however, expressed disappointment over the failure of the Coast Guard to move in promptly to arrest the situation.
โThe 12 persons we have rescued are on their way to me in Barclayville. We have not gotten in touch with the Nigerian Embassy, but the Ministry of Defense said they were sending Coast Guards. Up to this time, Coast Guards have not reached until the ship left. I am disappointed. At least if the Coast Guard is in Maryland, it would be easy access for the southeast. Now the Coast Guard is leaving Monrovia. When they will leave Monrovia to Maryland from Maryland to Grand Kru?โ
Superintendent Ylatun further pledged that the local authorities in the county will provide lounging, food and others for those who have been rescued until they are handed over to their embassy near Monrovia.
โMy call to the local authorities is to join us so we can be able to find a way for these people to leave the county and get to the Nigerian embassy.โ
On his part, the Chief of Staff of the AFL, Prince Johnson confirmed the incident, but disclosed a team has already been dispatched to Grand Kru.
โWe received the information this morning and redirected our joint patrol operations with sea shepherd in the suspected area. As of this time, we are awaiting updates from our Joint Patrol team. The Joint Security in Grand Kru has been updating us on the activities.โ
He, however, rejected claims that the coastal belts have been left unattended by the Coast Guard.
For the period under review, he reported that the Liberian Coast Guard has accomplished a lot, with support from Maritime and Sea Shepherd including, the arrest F/VBao Lucky- (19 Apr 2022),ย F/VGlobal 8 (10 Apr 2022), F/V Guoji 828 ( 14 Apr 2022), andย F/V Guoji 832 (14 Apr 2022) for some common violations.
He named the violations as: Fishery Regulations (Registration issues, licenses), Maritime Regulations (safety of the vessels and crew), faulty fire extinguishers, expired life rafts, over crowdedness of crew, immigration issues (Expired passports and seamen books), inadequate Safety equipment and other violations. Writes Fedrick Kumeh in Grand Kru
