Maritime Agencies
INSECURITY IN GoG: Expose and Deal With International Syndicates Now, MARAN Challenges FG
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Nigeria’s pioneer maritime journalists’ group, the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has charged the Federal Government to take a second look at strategies on ground to address the nagging problem of oil theft and maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) especially at a time achievements recorded in recent years to address the menace appear to be fading away as resurgence is now being witnessed.
MARAN President, Godfrey Bivbere made the call in Lagos, Wednesday, at a one-day MARAN Annual Conference on the theme “Maritime Security: Emerging Threats and Actionable Steps”.
In his welcome address, he pointedly charged Nigeria authorities and other countries in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) to go back to the drawing board and design more lasting strategies that will ensure that a resurgence of the frightening occurrences is not witnessed, going forward.
“We challenge the Nigeria Government and her regional counterparts to come up with a more workable and result- oriented approach to the fight against maritime insecurity in the GoG. We believe that until and unless the international syndicates involved in the menace are confronted, apprehended and regularly exposed, through international collaboration as often happens with local criminals, the situation will not achieve any purposeful deterrence.
MARAN, he stated, is fully supportive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his wisdom to establish the sector-specific Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in response to stakeholders’ view that it is one major step to turn around the fortunes of the nation’s maritime domain for the greater good of the economy.
“We envisage that President Tinubu may consider reworking the deterrence clauses contained in the SPOMO Act, to make its intendment more purposeful and business-like.
“MARAN respectfully, wishes to further urge President Tinubu to provide an improved enabling environment for a common and united combat against maritime insecurity through effective harnessing of all available windows, both public and private sector participation.”
Bivbere said MARAN feels deeply pained that since the first half of 2023, piracy has resumed in the GoG. The enormous security threats is a reality the journalists’ body find unacceptable, making her to contribute in whatever way possible to create a public awareness that will ginger the government to design better ways to address a lingering menace.
MARAN, Bivbere said, acknowledge previous and current efforts by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Navy and their regional counterparts to address issue of piracy and related maritime threats in the GOG. But the body is particularly concerned about the frightening level of crude oil theft in the region beside illegal and unregulated fishing in the GoG by highly-placed international syndicates who enjoy the assistance of local collaborators.
The Federal Government and her counterparts in the region owe everybody the responsibility to rise to the occasion and put a permanent stop to it.
“MARAN is also worried about observed dissonance in the collective national effort to combat maritime economic crimes and crude oil smuggling, and call on the federal government and its relevant agencies to improve on coordination. I want to also especially call on the office of the National Security Adviser to the President, to have a firmer grip and supervision of the existing collaboration between state and non-state actors’ roles, in this regard.
“The International Maritime Bureau, IMB report of July 2023 confirmed that the GoG witnessed a surge in maritime incidents in 2023, with five of such incidents in the first quarter and nine in the second quarter. Out of these, 12 were classified as armed robberies and two as piracy, predominantly targeting anchored vessels within the region. In all the incidents, 14 crew members were kidnapped, out of which 8 were abducted from vessels on anchor. Additionally, in two separate hijacks, 31 crew members were taken hostage, communication and navigation equipment were destroyed, and some cargoes were stolen.”
Speaking at the event, Temi Omatseye, former Director-General of NIMASA observed that many illegal vessels operate on Nigerian waters. He advised that Nigeria should begin to issue ship entry notices to vessels before leaving or arriving at anchor.
“We should know who you are or where you are on Nigerian waters. We must stop playing politics with the shipping industry.”
“We should set up a Restore Zone Transportation Corridor to spot vessels moving in and out of the approved nautical areas. It enables Nigeria to know who is in her maritime territory.”
He emphasized that there is no crude theft in Nigeria. Whatever happens is at the terminals.”
In his intervention, Sesan Onileimo, notable maritime journalist and former President of MARAN attributed majority of issues of crude oil theft and piracy taking place in Nigerian waters to youth unemployment. Onileimo who publishes Shipping Position said that the maritime threats happening in the Niger Delta are rampant and will continue to be rampant as long as the system keeps churning out a large army of able-bodied but unemployed youths who easily become a willing tool in the hands of godfathers who sponsor piracy, crude oil theft and other maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
He described crude oil theft and piracy as a localized business because people from other geographic areas who are not versed in aquatic business as their counterparts in the Niger Delta cannot make a success when they venture in them.
“There’s a mass of unemployed youths that the society has foisted on us; an idle hand is a willing tool.”
“And I will like to look at this from two angles. There are two categories of unemployed willing youths: the ones trained by NIMASA under its National Seafarers’ Development Programme who were trained, qualified with or without Certificate of Competency (CoC) but waiting to have something to do. They are there, they want to be active, they are the tools that are being used to forment trouble.
“The second leg are those boys and girls who are trained locally, some of them are trained at MAN, Oron, but there are those that are trained even in Agege here who wear uniforms so much so like that of the Navy. They are equipped and recruited into that business that has turned out to be a source of threat to our maritime environment.
“I am saying this because in the course of my years as a maritime journalist, I have had cause to interact with a few of them. If you go to Liverpool here, I am sure the Maritime Workers’ Union will bear me witness; the boys and girls who graduated from Oron, who have turned out to be canoe boys, were not trained in Oron to be handling canoe and boats but there is no job for them. These are the same boys who had five years of training but afterwards, there is no job. Take that guy to Niger-Delta, he is ready to do anything for as long as the money is available”, Onileimo explained.
Adding his voice, Otumba Sola Adewunmi, President, Nigerian Indigenous Shipowners Association, (NISA) advised Nigeria as a country to work hard to have a safe sea where one could sail to wherever he wanted to do his business and safely come back. Adewunmi who suggested putting in place a Nigerian equivalent of the P&I oof Singapore observed that there was so much competition at sea, the equipments are there but with inefficient, uncommitted and inexperienced people to man them.
For instance, he stated,
the Navy’s situation room known as the Falcon Eye, captures and displays everything that happens at sea. But a selfish agenda, he regrets, often lead to inefficiency in job discharge.
“There’s nothing that happens at sea that they don’t see but you will realize that most of our security agents are engrossed with what will come into their pockets. A situation whereby they do everything to their advantage is one of the reasons we are having issues.
“What did Lome have that we do not have in Nigeria?This is the question we should just ask ourselves. These people saw our weakness and made sure that their anchorage was secure. It attracts international operators and they started making money out of it. What is the work of our security agencies? And even when arrests are made, are they not made on frivolous excuses? All these things still go to say what is going to be the benefit to me.
“Until we put the benefit of the nation and what the nation will earn overall, I think we are in a better position to protect our waters very well but this era of entitlement, ‘it is our entitlement, we must get it’, I think it is part of the issues that we have. And as much as these things are there, we will continue to have a higher cost of bringing vessels to this place.”
He opined that if the security agents could work together and there is a good judicial system, Nigeria can achieve a lot.
In his contribution, Capt Tajudeen Alao, President, National Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) stated that maritime crime being a big business whose tentacles spread across the globe cannot be perceived as a Nigerian thing. He advised the participants at the lecture to sit down as a group, brainstorm and come up with workable proceedings that could be presented to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to implement.
“Whatever we think is the right thing to do, there must be procedures and guidelines and once the Minister can make subsidiary legislation, it could go a long way in tackling most of these challenges. The trend now is, if you arrest a ship now engaging in illegal bunkering, you blow it up, does it make sense? The air pollution into the sky, the oil pollution into the ecosystem, you have destroyed the fish and periwinkles in that area.
“There are many things that we do. Like my colleague said, you arrest a ship, EFCC doesn’t know how to manage ship. The ship is there, they are waiting for the Police to go to court, the ship becomes a wreck, then, NPA and NIMASA will devote $2 million to salvage a ship that does not worth more than $300,000.”
He insisted that a deliberate action and political must exist before crime can be addressed.
“The Navy”, the NAMM boss continued, “cannot afford to fund maritime security just as it cannot afford to keep the ships at sea with the budget within its disposal”.
“It finds it comfortable relying on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) to fund most of its operations”.
Maritime Agencies
NIMASA MODULAR FLOATING DOCK: Concerns About Delayed Deployment And Transparency.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Contrary to expectations, NIMASA’s N50billion modular floating dock has remained a subject of controversy since 2018 when the apex maritime administration and safety regulator acquired it.
Initially moored at the Marina Waterfront, concerns have continued to mount about the whereabouts and management of the facility. NIMASA appears not to be doing enough to convincingly respond to pressing questions stakeholders have been asking about its fate.
Despite promises of relocation and utilization, the floating dock remains elusive, thus fueling concerns about lack of due process, transparency and accountability within the agency.
Last February, NIMASA announced plans to move the dock to Continental Shipyard in Apapa. Four months down the line, the deployment has yet to occur and no concrete reasons have been given to explain this.
This delay has fueled skepticism especially among industry watchers, who have continued to question NIMASA’s commitment to managing the multimillion-dollar asset effectively.
When the floating dock was acquired in 2018, ship owners who hitherto went to neighbouring maritime nations to dry-dock vessels heaved a sigh of relief. It was celebrations galore as they were made to believe that the new facility represented a significant step in the country’s efforts towards upgrading her critical maritime infrastructure. To them, Nigeria had taken a significant step to enhance her ability to maintain a unique position as a foremost vessel maintenance and repair nation in the West and Central African region.
To the chagrin of stakeholders, however, promises of deployment have been repeatedly made and flouted. And explanations as to why this is so remains scanty, resulting to accusations of neglect, underutilization and mismanagement.
Criticisms have been directed at NIMASA’s leadership, particularly under the immediate-past Director-General, Dr Bashir Jamoh, for perceived lapses in strategic planning and execution.
Standing out in these criticisms is Otunba Sola Adewumi, President, Nigerian Ship Owners’ Association (NISA) who has sued for accountability and transparency within NIMASA.
Dr. Chris Ebare, Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) is not left out in this as he has emphasized the need to involve specialists and experts in managing critical industry facilities such as the Modular Floating Dock.
He suggested a re-evaluation of NIMASA’s approach towards the use and deployment of the facility, advocating that only dedicated technocrats and professionals be given a free hand to manage the asset independent of any form of interference from the agency’s leadership.
Engr Matthew Alalade, former National President, Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers & Water Transport Senior Staff Association, has equally voiced concerns about NIMASA’s decision-making process especially on the use of the floating dock. He urges greater consultation with stakeholders especially professionals in the field. NIMASA, he suggests, should consider concessioning the dock to established shipyards to ensure proper management.
Amidst these concerns, a staff of NIMASA who pleaded anonymity offered a critical perspective on the situation.
“The challenges we face with the floating dock”, he opined, ” can largely be attributed to the previous leadership’s reluctance to heed expert advice, which unfortunately has resulted in the asset becoming nearly outdated before being fully operational.”
He further stated that the new Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, is aware of the issues and is committed to resolving them.
“Dr. Mobereola has been thoroughly briefed about the current status and complexities surrounding the floating dock.
He will be actively engaging with technical experts and stakeholders to expedite its deployment and ensure it operates at full capacity as swiftly as possible,” he stated.
Expectations are high that as an insider had said, the new helmsman will be favourably disposed to make a difference this time by accommodating expert views on the use of the critical facility to enable Nigeria realize the motive for acquiring the facility. But when and how he is going to do this remains embedded in the bowel of time.
Maritime Agencies
Customs Deepens Anti-smuggling Campaign, Seeks Justice For Slain Officer.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says no amount of intimidation or harassment from unscrupulous elements in the society will prevent her from fulfilling her core duties of trade facilitation, revenue generation and suppression of smuggling.
Already, in collaboration with other security agencies, the Service is working tirelessly to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly killing of her officer, Customs Assistant II Auwal Haruna at the Gamji Makaho checkpoint in the Dankama area of Katsina State on April 17, 2024, while on official duty.
As contained in a statement by the National Public Relations Officer, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi deeply mourns the incident and has extended his heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of the fallen officer.
“The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) stands resolute in its condemnation of such violent acts against its officers and men,” the statement said.
“Violence against our officers,” the statement quoted the CGC as saying, ” is utterly unacceptable, and we will pursue every avenue to bring those responsible to justice.”
“The safety of our personnel and the security of our borders remain paramount. We are committed to working with traditional rulers, government bodies, and sister agencies to combat this heinous crime against our personnel.”
“Intelligence available to us indicates that certain unpatriotic community members are harbouring suspected accomplices involved in this heinous crime.
“We implore these individuals to embrace patriotism by aligning with the law and refraining from condoning illegality.”
The CGC counselled that it is in the best interest of various communities and the nation to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to root out criminal elements and ensure that justice prevails.
“The NCS urges the public to join hands in the fight against these brazen criminals. We implore the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities of these daredevil smugglers to the nearest customs formation.
“Together, we can create a safer environment for our officers and a more secure nation for all.”
The CGC reaffirmed that under his leadership, the Service remains steadfast in her commitment to combating smuggling and other cross-border crimes. The Service, he restated, will not falter in its mission to uphold the law and protect the interests of the Nigerian people.
Maritime Agencies
RICE SALE STAMPEDE: Customs Visits Victim’s Family, Rolls Out Support.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In response to a directive from Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone “A,” Assistant Comptroller-General Hammi Swomen, Friday, led a delegation on a condolence visit to the Jibowu, Lagos, family home of Susan Odulaja, one of the victims of the February 24 tragic stampede during the sale of 25kg bags of rice at Yaba, Lagos.
During the visit, the Zonal Coordinator expressed the NCS’s deepest condolences to the family as he recalled the unfortunate incident that led to the loss of four precious lives during the disposal of 25kg bags of rice at a reduced price of N10,000.
“We are here to support this family and demonstrate our commitment to their well-being,” he stated.
He explained that the visit was the second time the Service was reaching out to the family as a demonstration of her commitment to showing compassion and empathy to those affected by the tragedy.
“We are here on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs to support this family. This is our second visit, but it is to demonstrate our continued support to the family.” he explained.
Commiserating with the widower, Michael Odulaja, ACG Swomen pledged the NCS’ commitment to work with the family and support them continuously.
“The Service is mindful of the effects of this loss, and we have pledged to work with this family and support them continuously.”
“When you are grieving and have people around you, it reduces the trauma.”
He assured that following the visit, the delegation would report to the CGC to enable him consider, in concrete terms, the nature of intervention to embark upon, going forward.
In response, Mr Odulaja appreciated the ACG and his delegation for the visit and support, saying: “I thank God and the Nigeria Customs Service for their support. Any support that they give us, I will ensure that I use it wisely and invest it in the children.”
It is recalled that the Service issued a press statement after the unfortunate incident on the 26 of February 2024, promising to follow up with the families of the stampede victims.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families during this challenging time,” the statement said, “and we assure them of our unwavering support.”
“We are working with the hospital officials to establish contact and engage directly with the victims’ families on the next step.”
-
Maritime Agencies3 weeks ago
INLAND WATERWAYS SECURITY: China Urges Nigeria To Adopt Her Technology For Best Results.
-
Maritime Agencies3 weeks ago
CILT Regrets Frequent Inland Waterway Mishaps, Advocates Increase In Safety Awareness
-
Maritime Agencies3 weeks ago
MWUN Hosts Annica, the Visiting ITF Project Coordinator.
-
Maritime Agencies17 hours ago
NIMASA MODULAR FLOATING DOCK: Concerns About Delayed Deployment And Transparency.
-
Maritime Agencies23 hours ago
RICE SALE STAMPEDE: Customs Visits Victim’s Family, Rolls Out Support.
-
Maritime Agencies22 hours ago
Customs Deepens Anti-smuggling Campaign, Seeks Justice For Slain Officer.
-
Maritime Agencies1 week ago
APAPA CUSTOMS: It’s Encomiums Galore As Jaiyeoba Hands Over To Olomu.
-
Maritime Agencies2 weeks ago
RICE SALE STAMPEDE: Customs Visits Victim’s Family, Rolls Out Support.