By Stephen Ubanna
Bashir Jamoh, immediate past Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, could beat his chest that he left office with his head high. This is because he was able to force the pirates and sea robbers operating in Nigeria waters and the Gulf of Guinea to go underground or relocate to other areas.
Given the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, signed with the Leadership of the Nigerian Navy, that will make the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure Project, baptized Deep Blue Project impactful and enhance its visibility , ,may have encouraged the Nigeria Navy to put the water security assets under its management and control into operation in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea region.
Note that the Israeli firm, HLSI, Security Systems and Technologies, which had been contracted by the then President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration in 2017, to supply the North American country of the United States, US, $195.3 million maritime security assets to be domiciled in NIMASA, for surveillance and protection of ocean-going vessels laden with cargoes in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea had delivered the water and air security assets as requested.
The Israeli security firm was said to have delivered 1 Interception Boats, 16 amphibious vehicles to patrol Nigerian coastal water ways, Two Special Mission Vessels, Two Special Mission aircrafts for Surveillance of Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ, Three helicopters and four unmanned Aerial vehicles.As a prelude to ensuring that the Nigerian Naval personnel do their job as expected to provide security ffor the country’s all anchorage areas, may have informed why the Navy overseeing the water security assets had deployed them into operations forcing the pirates and sea robbers who could no longer stand the superior fire of the Navy managed and operated maritime security assets to desert Nigerian waters for their safety.
Dayo Mobereola, a one-time Commissioner of Transportation, unde the Babajide Samwo-Olu’s first term in office as governor of Lagos state and now Director General, NIMASA, may have known that he has a big task at hand that he has urged the Naval personnel to sustain the anti-piracy war’’ to make the country’s maritime space and the Gulf of Guinea more secure. But that was how far he could go.
The new NIMASA, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, may have gotten his first baptism of fire from the pirates operating in Nigerian waters with the recent abduction of 10 maritime workers who were said to be travelling from Bonny to Port Harcourt, Capital of Rivers state, were abducted by pirates.
Mobereola led NIMASA and the security partners, particular, the Navy have to sit up to sustain the anti-piracy efforts that had been set by Jamoh, the former CEO, of the agency before he left office, on March 10, 2023.
Olatunji Disu, the Rivers state Commissioner of Police, may not have waited for the NIMASA Authorities and the Navy to take the bold initiative to rescue the abducted maritime workers as he has said to have given a matching order one Olugbenga Adepoju, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Police Officer, DPOs, in that area of the pirates’ attack to make sure the victim regain their freedom as soon as possible.
Informed sources told The Value News online Magazine that the Rivers state Police Command, Deputy Commissioner of Police, mandated by the state Commissioner of Police to facilitate the rescue of the abducted maritime workers has moved into action to comb Bonny, Port Harcourt and all the Coastal Communities along the Bonny –PortHarcourt waterways to fish out the criminal elements from their hideouts and rescue the victims unhurt.
Notwithstanding the efforts currently being made by the Rivers state Police Command to rescue the abducted 10 maritime workers, along the Bony-PortHarcourt waterways Israel Pepple, the state Chairman of the Maritime workers of Nigeria, MWUN, Rivers Commercial district, would want the Federal Government and the security agencies , particular, the Navy, overseeing NIMASA, water security assets, ‘’to enhance the security in the country’s waterways to curb such attacks.
An aggrieved Pepple had revealed that the kidnap of the 10 maritime workers along the Bonny-PortHarcourt waterways follows a recent protest by the Union members against the rising pirates’ attacks along the Bony -PortHarcourt waterways in the recent time.
Recall that in July 24, 2021, eight persons, who were said to be raveling to PortHarcourt from Kula in Akuku-Toru, Local Government Area of the state had been attacked by the pirates, armed to the teeth at Kula-Abonma waterways.
The martime regulatory agency, under the then Leadership of amoh, which had condemned the incident was said to have move moved into action immediately to rescue the victims. Adewale Adeyanu, President-General,Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, who was said to be in touch with the agency Management was said to have made that possible a he was said to have secured the assurance of the Management to provide the needed support, till the abducted maritime workers are rescued and united with their family members and the industry.
He had regretted that that the kidnap of the maritime workers along the Kula-Abonnewa waterways had occurred at a time when the nation’s maritime industry was witnessing tremendous gains in the country’s maritime security sphere being commended locally and internationally.
While the Rivers state Police Command is currently concerned on how to abducted 10 maritime workers along the Bony-PortHarcourt waterways, which ought to be the responsibility of the NIMASA and its security agency partner, the Nigerian Navy, the former Lagos state Commissioner of Transportation has cautioned the public on the existence of several ‘’unauthorized social media accounts making the rounds and purportedly belonging to him’’.
The NIMASA boss, has sounded it loud and clear that these fake accounts are not in any way affiliated or endorsed by him or the agency and advised members of the public ‘’to be wary of such and communicate only with official social media platforms’’.
He had opinned that’’ any party that puts itself forward as acting on behalf of the agency or any member of the Executive Management for any purpose whatsoever is ‘’completely false’’ noting that the agency disclaims and bears no responsibility whatsoever for their action. The NIMASA, Director General, who was emphatic was said to have made it clear that he does not own any of such fraudulent Facebook accounts, Linkedin, e-mails and other online publications. It was not surprising why he has expressly disclaimed any liability for any losses incurred by any person or persons as a result of reliance of such fraudulent social media accounts.
Osagie Edward, an Assistant Director and the agency spokesperson, would want the public to treat with suspicion any such offerings and verify their claims in order not to fall prey to these scammers as the agency has not designated any entity or individuals to at on its behalf .
