Navy, Marine Police Nab 27 Sea Robbers In Two Months

Operatives of the Nigerian Navy and the Marine Police have collectively arrested twenty seven sea pirates in the last two months , a statement from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has said.

The Director General of the apex regulatory agency ,Bashir Jamoh over the weekend , disclosed that findings have revealed that the criminals work with the cooperation of international allies thus making them more sophisticated.

Jamoh said fighting crime with intelligence and technology had been the hallmark of his administration in the battle against piracy since it came on board three months ago.

He added, “Our findings have revealed that these criminals work with the cooperation of international allies and that is what makes them sophisticated.

We have set out to tackle them through intelligence gathering and collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Our recent arrests have shown the international community that we are not handling illegalities in our waters with kid gloves.”

Jamoh said the Agency was mounting a spirited campaign to root out piracy and armed robbery in the country’s waters.

He said Nigeria’s waters were now safer for navigation, as the proactive approach of NIMASA to safety and security at sea had started yielding fruits. pointing out that ” This is evidenced in the multiple arrests of suspected pirates in the second quarter of the year.

The Director-General revealed that NIMASA had sent a proposal to the Federal Government on the issue of providing incentives for stakeholders in the maritime sector.

According to him, “The Federal Ministry of Transportation is also putting final touches to arrangements for the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), he revealed, stressing that operators in the maritime industry would soon begin to access the fund.

He expressed delight in the changing international opinion on safety and security in Nigerian waters, as seen in a recent congratulatory letter by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO} to Nigeria for its zeal to make the country’s waters safe and secure.

On the question of incentives for the maritime sector, Jamoh stated, “We have made proposals to President Muhammadu Buhari through the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for approval to grant different kinds of incentives that would help us grow the industry.

” We are also working to ensure the disbursement of the CVFF. We believe that other sectors, like manufacturing and aviation, have leveraged on this sort of incentive to grow and that is the reason we are also looking in that direction.”

Jamoh also spoke on the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), saying it is being redesigned to make it more effective.

He appealed to the media to ensure adequate and fair reportage of the activities of NIMASA, Nigeria’s maritime industry regulatory agency, in order to properly inform and educate the public.

Jamoh stressed that the sector had the potential to exponentially grow the Nigerian economy, given the enormous flora and fauna in the maritime environment, besides mineral resources and shipping activities.