Private armed guards not allowed onboard vessels in Nigeria – Navy

The Nigerian Navy has disclosed that private armed guards are
still not permitted on merchant vessels in Nigeria. Rear Admiral,
Begroy Enyinna Ibe-Enwo, representing the Chief of Naval Staff,
confirmed this last week at the West Africa Shipping Summit in
London, as part of highlight of events at the London International
Shipping Week.

At the event, both NIMASA and the Navy acknowledged the
challenges in securing the Nigerian maritime domain and affirmed
the collaboration between both organisations to stem the incidents
of piracy and armed robbery at sea.

According to Ibe-Enwo, up till now no private armed guards are
allowed onboard vessels in Nigeria.

Speaking to a wide spectrum of global shipping interests at the
event both NIMASA and the Navy acknowledged the challenges in
securing the Nigerian maritime domain and affirmed the
collaboration between both organisations to check the incidents of
piracy and armed robbery at sea.

Also at the event, Senior Partner at Akabogu and Associates,
Emeka Akabogu, noted that the Nigerian ship charter and freight
market, estimated at $10 billion, remained a key pillar of import
trade and the service sector.

He however, urged the industry operators to fully take advantage
through effective due diligence, synergy and regulatory compliance.
He encouraged the use of arbitration for the resolution of maritime
disputes.

This position was supported by the President of the Nigerian
Chamber of Shipping, Andy Isichei and the CEO of Africa Risk
Compliance, Michael Wingate who called for collaboration between
shipping companies and regulators to bridge the gaps causing key
security challenges in the maritime domain.

Meanwhile CEOs of L.A.T.C. Marine, Gbolahan Shoba and Ship2Ship
Services, Kunle Jolapamo, intervening for ship owners, urged
regulators to be more responsive to ship owners’ challenges,even
though they were increasingly moving offshore for better financing
solutions.