JOHANNESBURG. Oct 23 (Interfax) - The Nigerian Navy confirms the arrest of Russia's MV Myre Seadiver on suspicion of carrying arms and ammunition, the Nigerian news portal News 24 Nigeria reports.
Rear-Adm. Ameen Ikioda, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, told newsmen in Lagos that the vessel was arrested at the Lagos roadstead on Saturday by naval patrol boats.
Ikioda said the patrolmen found 14 AK-47 submachine guns, 42 rifles and more than 8,500 rounds of ammunition aboard. The vessel was taken to a Nigerian naval base.
Fifteen crewmembers, most of them Russian, remain aboard the ship.
"We discovered that the vessel came into our waters without due notification and has weapons inside, which is an infringement on the laws of Nigeria," the rear admiral said.
According to the Interfax SPARK database, Neova Holdings Ltd. Virgin Islands offshore company has a 50% stake in LLC Moran Security Group.
The Moran Security Group website lists amongst company activities "armed escort of ships by our experts, ship convoy [by our ships] with armed experts, provision of sophisticated offshore threat data and analysis, when applicable, and logistics in the maritime environment in conditions of piracy or naval acts."
MV Myre Seadiver is mentioned in the website's section dedicated to the geography of the company's activity.
Judging by its map, the ship is based off shore Nigeria, West Africa.