The Nigerian Navy has arrested a suspected fraudulent shipping agent, Mr Nsikak Sunday Ekpo, and handed him over to the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Calabar for further investigation and possible prosecution .
The arrest followed a complaint received through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alleging that ₦400,000 was paid to Nigerian Navy personnel to provide security services for Motor Vessel CHIMBA Express, a Cameroonian-registered vessel operating within the Calabar Channel .
The allegation stems from an incident on 22 December 2025, when personnel of NNS VICTORY, NNS OSE and Forward Operating Base IBAKA responded to a fire outbreak onboard the vessel. The Navy stated that its swift and coordinated response led to the successful rescue of the vessel and its crew .
Subsequently, claims emerged suggesting that naval personnel received payment for security services and abandoned the vessel without a refund. However, a comprehensive investigation established that Navy personnel “neither solicited nor received any payment, nor entered into any form of security arrangement with the vessel’s owners” .
According to the Navy, the investigation revealed that Mr Ekpo, an agent with PINAPAT Shipping Agency in Calabar, allegedly collected the sum under false pretences, claiming it was meant for Navy personnel involved in the rescue operation .
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its “unwavering commitment to professionalism, integrity and accountability” and vowed to take decisive action against any individual attempting to tarnish its image or exploit its operations for personal gain .
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