Ghana deports 8 Nigerian suspected sea pirates

Eight Nigerians alleged to be pirates have been deported by the Ghanaian authorities following the directive of the country’s Minister of Interior.

The suspects have been handed over to the Nigerian authorities by a team of officials represented by the Ghana police service and the Immigration service led by Deputy superintendent of Police (DSP) Peter Kamasa of the interpol, Accra.

The suspects were handed over to officials of the National Criminal Bureau, Lagos at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, on January 7 after an exhaustive legal process in Accra.

The suspects were identified as Molih William, Molilh Klinsman, David Jacob, Amos Ebiyaibo, Aki Peggy, John Picolo, Ayetimili Oyinle and Pinano Saniyu.
They had earlier appeared before an Accra Magistrates’ Court 3, Adjabeng.

The suspected pirates were arrested following a compliant lodged by the owner of (MT Mariam) a Nigerian vessel, Sunday Nakase who claimed the men had stolen the vessel.

He said they had stolen the vessel together with its crude oil contents and directed the crew to steer to an undisclosed destination.

The suspects were arrested by personnel of the Ghana Navy and handed over to the police.

According to Ghana Police Commissioner David Asante-Apeatu,It was decided that allowing the Nigerian authorities to undertake further investigation and prosecution would serve a better purpose.

“We want to say that maritime crime takes in vast areas on the sea, a situation making it challenging to prevent.Vessels are sometimes flagged by one country and operated by different trans-sectoral and international bodies”.