In a daring tale of survival and desperation, four Nigerian men have been rescued by Brazilian police after a treacherous 14-day journey as stowaways on a cargo ship crossing the vast Atlantic Ocean. Covering a staggering distance of 5,600 kilometers (3,500 miles) of ocean, their death-defying attempt to flee the country led to an unforeseen destination in South America.
As reported by Reuters, the men ran out of food and drink on their tenth day at sea and resorted to drinking the seawater crashing a few meters below them to stay alive for another four days. The journey was far from easy, with the cramped conditions, noise of the ship’s engine, and constant fear of discovery by the crew adding to their challenges.
Roman Ebimene Friday, a 35-year-old man from Bayelsa state, had previously attempted to leave Nigeria but was arrested by authorities. Determined to seek a better future, he made his second migration attempt on June 27 by stowing away near the ship’s rudder in Lagos, where he was surprised to find three other men awaiting departure.
To avoid detection, the stowaways remained silent throughout the journey, fearing that any noise could lead to being thrown into the ocean by the crew. Their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean exposed them to mesmerizing sights of “big fish like whales and sharks,” but also constant risks of falling into the water.
ThankGod Opemipo Matthew Yeye, a 38-year-old pastor from Lagos, faced hardships after floods destroyed his peanut and palm oil farm, leaving his family homeless. His hope was that they could join him in Brazil for a new start.
The motivations behind their perilous journey were rooted in economic difficulties, soaring inflation, and persistent violence in Nigeria. Two of the men have been returned to Nigeria as per their request, while Yeye and Friday have sought asylum in Brazil.
Paolo Parise, a priest at the Sao Paulo shelter where the men were interviewed, underscored the lengths people go to in search of a better life, even resorting to unimaginable and deeply dangerous measures. The men’s ordeal serves as a testament to the human spirit’s resilience and determination to seek hope and opportunity.
This incident echoes similar occurrences, as in November 2022, the Spanish police discovered three stowaways on a ship’s rudder arriving in the Canary Islands from Nigeria. The migrants, who endured 11 days in precarious conditions, were found dehydrated and later faced deportation by Spanish authorities.
