Navy to handle
Navy to handle cases of sea robbery, piracy at maritime
courts
The Nigerian Navy has disclosed that it will employ the services
of designated maritime courts to handle cases of sea robbery,
piracy and other maritime offences, to quickly dispense justice in
the criminal cases.
This was made known by the Chief of Naval Staff, at a press
conference, after the closing ceremony of “2019 Global Maritime
Security Conference”, in Abuja.
The conference was organised by the Federal Ministry of
Transportation in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy and Nigeria
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The naval boss, who was represented by the Chief of Plans and
Policy, Rear Admiral Begray Enyinna Ibe-Enwo, emphasised the need
for special courts to try the culprits, as this will develop and
reinforce the capacities of national maritime authorities, law
enforcement agencies, particularly, navies as first responders.
Ibe-Enwo, therefore, urged the governments to review and revise
extant fishing laws and regulations, and as well ensure enforcement
of the laws with particular attention on monitoring, control and
surveillance.
Speaking at the event, Minister for State Transportation, Sen.
Gbemisola Saraki, assured of a speedy implementation of the
conference’s resolutions by establishing GMS Expert Working Group,
which would be meeting quarterly and reconvene in two years’ to
review the progress.
“We would involve Gulf of Guinea member states, regional,
continental and international partners to meet quarterly to follow
through the implementation of the resolution,” Saraki
reiterated.
“We hope to convey a follow up conference in two years to review
the resolution and implementation and further action plan if
necessary.”
She, however, promised to communicate the decisions and
recommendations of the conference to the President of Nigeria and
ECOWAS, ECCAS, GGC, AU, IMO and other international partners.
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and
Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, urged the Gulf of
Guinea States and the international community to put mechanisms in
place to ensure that resources that are illegally
harvested/explored in the GOG, including stolen oil and illegal
unreported and unregulated fishery are banned, as was the case with
the “blood diamonds”.