The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has said that Nigeria’s re-election into the Category C Seat of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will bring about huge economic benefits to the country.
Mobereola who spoke on the occasion of the one-day seminar organised by the League of Maritime Editors (LOME) in Lagos last week said the re-election if achieved will attract global shipping, international respect and additional revenue generation.
He said this will all lead to more economic development for Nigeria.
Mobereola who was represented on the occasion by the Deputy Director, Marine Environment, Mrs Caroline Okonkwo said that so far Nigeria has done well in combating the effects of piracy, adding that this was the reason why the country was removed from the List of Piracy Hot Spots.
In his paper titled, “Efforts at Tackling Piracy in Nigeria, GoG NIMASA”, he added that impressed by Nigeria’s efforts at fighting piracy, the IMO had to write the agency extolling Nigeria’s leadership roles for security at the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).
“In the letter, IMO highlighted NIMASA’s contributions to the war against piracy and other maritime crimes in the region. These initiatives they said, were proof of Nigeria’s abiding determination to lead the charge against maritime crimes in the region”, he said.
Mobereola stated, “May I use this forum to mention some of the efforts Nigeria, through NIMASA is making at tackling piracy, especially at the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).
“Before now as we all know, piracy attacks at the GoG were high in 2020 as reported by the International Maritime Board Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC).
“The rise in kidnapping incidents, armed robbery and shorelines demonstrations increased capabilities of pirates in the Gulf of Guinea. This was despite prompt actions by the Navies and other armed personnel in the region hence this led to urgent need to address these crimes which continued to have negative impact on the safety of international shipping as well as on seafarers.
“In determining its quest to tackling some of these identified challenges at the GoG, NIMASA commenced equipping the maritime security establishments with the latest hardware amid at decreasing sophistication of pirates. To be ahead of the Curve, the country acquired and deployed assets under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project. They are grouped under three main headings namely:-
AIR
Helicopter;
Special Mission Aircraft.
SEA
Interceptor Boats;
Special Mission Vessels;
Armoured Vehicles;
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)
LAND
Intervention Unit;
The C4i Unit;
Maritime Intelligence System, etc
“Additionally, with the enactment, implementation and enforcement of the new Act – Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act, 2019 (SPOMO), Nigeria has arrested, successfully prosecuted and jailed some pirates/ criminals arrested within the GoG just two years after the Act came into place. With these in place, piracy and other illegal activities at the GoG has drastically been eliminated/reduced leading to free-marine environment attracting international shipping”.
