Nigerian Navy arrests 10 pirates including 3 Greeks and 2 Americans

Operatives of the Nigerian Navy and their U.S counterparts have arrested 10 suspected pirates within the Nigerian end of the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).


The suspects, comprising three Greece, two Americans and five blacks, were arrested on Sunday evening.

Among the foreigners were Angelopolous Spyridon, 54, (Greece), Kappis Christos, 57, (Greece), Petropoulos Stylianos, 34, (Greece), Zanski Michael-Anderson, 50, (American) and another unnamed American.

Four military assault rifles (Bernelli MR-1) loaded with magazines, about 1,000 live ammunition in a box and other exhibits were recovered from their boat.


Prior to the boarding and arrest of the boat, NNS CENTENARY had communicated it, demanding to know where it was from and its destination.

It was gathered that the 10-man crew had given unsatisfactory information to the Navy and was, therefore, compelled to stop for the special forces to board and search her.

It was gathered that their data was sent to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), which established that none of the foreigners had visa to Nigeria, but curiously, they had a pass purportedly from the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) that has no jurisdiction on the high seas.


“There is nothing in their passport to show entry into Nigeria. Their passport has South African, Europe, Liberia and US entry and exits. It is obvious they entered our country illegally.

From the guns they were found with and the various lies they told, it is clear these are pirates. The blacks among them did not have passport and claimed to be Nigerians.

NIS will investigate to ascertain where they are from. It is very likely they are not Nigerians as they claimed to be and even if they are, being a Nigerian isn’t a guarantee for anyone to commit maritime crime,” said a Naval source.