Disclosing this to the Nigerian Tribune exclusively on Monday, the Spokesman for the Navy, Commodore Ayo Olugbode, refused to give further details, as he maintained that investigations into the ownership, destination and other aspects of the vessel is still ongoing.
“What was discovered inside the vessel are explosives used for mining. That the vessel is laden with dangerous arms and explosives is a false rumour.
“The official report is not yet out, but what I can say for now is that what was found on the vessel are mining explosives,” the Naval Spokesman stated.
It would be recalled that South Africa recently detained a Russian ship laden with weapons and allegedly bound for Lagos, Nigeria. The vessel said to have left Madagascar was stopped near Port Elizabeth in South Africa ’ s Eastern Cape Province.
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“We are aware that she has dangerous cargoes – explosives and weapons – on board, ” Olwethu Mdabula, spokeswoman for the Transnet state transport company told AFP, declining to give further details.
“This is a very, very sensitive matter. It is receiving attention,” a spokesman for the Hawks police investigative unit, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, told the news agency, confirming the vessel was carrying weapons. The discovery of the ship said to have been stacked with “ weapons and explosives worth about $ 3. 5m in 20 containers” followed an anonymous tip-off.
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