Four young Nigerian men were rescued from the Atlantic Ocean after allegedly being thrown overboard by the crew of a foreign vessel they had stowed away on in a desperate bid to flee Nigeria’s harsh economic realities.
The stowaways identified as James John, Favour Efe, Kingsley Williams, and Kingsley Mathew had secretly boarded the ship in search of a better life abroad.
However, upon discovery, crew members reportedly responded with violence, casting them into the sea.
The men’s lives were saved following a rapid intervention by a maritime logistics company owned by France-based Nigerian entrepreneur Mr. Harrison Niyi Alonge, originally from Ekiti State.
In a statement released Thursday, May 22, the company’s Public Relations Officer, Olawale Ezekiel, confirmed the incident and detailed the rescue operation.
“The crew, led by a captain, noticed suspicious movement in the water and promptly raised an alarm,” Ezekiel said. “Acting swiftly, Mr. Alonge ordered an emergency rescue operation, which successfully located and retrieved the four victims.”
According to the statement, the stowaways were found alive, though severely traumatised, clinging to floating debris and barely able to cry for help.
“They were extremely weak and on the brink of drowning. A few more minutes, and it might have been too late,” Ezekiel added.
The rescued men have since been transferred to the Nigerian Navy at Atlas Cove, Takwa Bay, where they are receiving further medical attention and undergoing debriefing.
This harrowing incident has reignited concerns about the growing migration crisis in Nigeria. Economic instability, high unemployment, and widespread insecurity continue to push many young Nigerians toward perilous and illegal migration routes.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that hundreds of Nigerians risk their lives each year attempting to reach foreign countries by sea.
As investigations into this incident continue, it casts a spotlight on the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to address the root causes of irregular migration and provide sustainable opportunities for the nation’s youth.
