Headlines

Stakeholders kick as Navy returns to Ports

Eyewitness reporter

Stakeholders in the maritime industry have condemned the planned return of the Nigeria Navy to the nation’s seaports.

It would be recalled that the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, last week during a webinar to mark the 100 days of the service chiefs in office, disclosed that the Navy has secured the approval of the government to return to the ports, 30 years after they left.

The government, according to Vice Admiral Gambo, wanted the Navy back at the ports to check the indiscriminate entry of small arms through the Ports.

“We have realised that arms are circulating indiscriminately and their effects are devastating. Our efforts in combating their proliferation must therefore be viewed as contributing to the good, rather than a zero-sum game.

“The Navy has been out of the ports for three decades. We are working with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to establish port commandant at the seaports.’’ the Naval Chief has said.

However, industry players have unanimously described the return of the Navy to the ports as unnecessary which is capable of adding to the costs of goods clearance at the ports.

Kayode Farinto, the Vice President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) mocked the planned return of the Navy to the ports as ‘their desire to want to be part of the National cake’

“They simply wanted to be part of examination of cargo where they can have their own share of the National cake” Farinto declared derisively.

He said the move portrays that Government is confused and lacks initiative on how to tackle the rising insecurity in the country.

Farinto, who declared that the Navy will merely constitute a nuisance at the ports the way they did in 1993/94, wondered what value they will add to the operations of the port other than to encumber the process.

“About 90 percent of arms and ammunitions come through the unapproved routes and not the ports.

So government should deploy them to areas where there are gaps in the security architecture of the country”

According to him, the Nigeria Customs, despite lack of scanners, is doing a yeoman job with the support of others security agencies such as Immigration, SSS, and the Police to effectively monitor the Ports.

Similarly, Rev. Jonathan Nicol, the President of Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS), agreed with Farinto when he declared that small arms come through the porous borders and not through the ports.

He believed the Navy has no business at the ports but should concentrate on our territorial waters, especially the Gulf of Guinea which he said is infested with lots of criminality.

“Nigeria Customs is para-military and saddled with the responsibility of opening up containers for examination and I am convinced they are up to the task.”

“The Nigerian Navy should be concerned with our territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), where we have so many security challenges bedeviling the country.

“Already, we have government agencies at the port doing almost the same thing such that it is difficult to exit cargoes from the seaports, so why will they want to add to the burden?” he queried.

“They should concentrate on the coastal waters where piracy is expected to be combated. Also, I believe that the bulk of the small arms and ammunition are not coming in through the seaports but through the porous borders because of the hassles involved in 100 percent examination.

“There is already a technology from the Nigerian Shippers Council to track and see cargoes, so they should key into that initiative to know the types of cargoes that will be coming into the country.

“We don’t need an additional agency at the port because shippers that own cargoes coming to Nigerian seaports are already overburdened by the activities of government agencies at the port.”, Rev. Nicol declared.

Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, the National President, Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics in Nigeria (APFFLON), believed that the Navy at the seaports would not solve the proliferation of light and small arms into the country.

They will rather, according to him, add to the cumbersome nature of cargo clearance.

Ogunojemite asked the government to ensure the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) which he believed will help to know the type of cargo coming into the country, whether small arms are in them.

“Also, the government should collaborate with countries of origin because most containers busted are due to information from the country of origin.

“Also, what is wrong with the scanners at the seaports? The government should put them into work also. They should inform us about the purchase of scanners. We should put the scanners into use and they should function accordingly.”

He also asked Government to deploy technology to monitor the nation’s porous borders where he said these arms and ammunitions are coming through.

However, Farinto noted that if eventually, the Navy returns back to the ports, Nigeria will become a laughing stock among the comity of maritime nations because this negates the international best practices.

Headlines

Tantita intercepts stolen crude on escort of Delta Marine Police, arrests four suspects

Funso OLOJO

Tantita Security Services Limited, a pipeline surveillance operations company, has intercepted a tanker vessel, MT Thor, laden with suspected stolen crude oil.

The interception, which occurred on December 15th, 2025, around the Koko–Excravos axis of Delta State, happened while the vessel was allegedly being escorted by personnel of the Police Marine Unit, Delta State, who reportedly claimed they were acting on directives from the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Abuja.

Four suspects have been apprehended in connection with the incident and are currently facing investigation for possible prosecution.

The arrest was announced during the handover of the suspects at Koko Port in Delta State by Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSNL), a firm engaged in pipeline surveillance operations.

Speaking at the handover of the vessel and the suspects at Koko Port, Delta state, the Executive Director of Operations at Tantita, Captain Warredi Enisouh, said the suspects were apprehended with an unspecified quantity of suspected illegally sourced petroleum products aboard the vessel.

According to a situation report made available by the Special Prosecution Team (SPT) of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Product Theft, Tantita alerted the Head of Investigation of the SPT after intercepting MT Thor, which was allegedly laden with crude oil obtained through illicit means.

Preliminary investigations by law enforcement agencies revealed that the vessel, now classified as an exhibit in an ongoing criminal investigation, is linked to a jetty operated by Ebenco Global Services Limited.

Investigation officers disclosed that documents and correspondence connected to the jetty were obtained and are currently under review.

“The owner of the jetty, Mr. Ebenezer, was contacted by investigators and reportedly provided additional documents, including court orders, which are also being analysed as part of the investigation.

“On December 16, a joint investigation team led by the Head of Investigation of the SPT conducted a Joint Inspection Visit in Koko.

The team first met at Tantita’s corporate headquarters in Warri for a briefing, which was also attended by the jetty owner.

“During the inspection, investigators attempted to obtain samples from MT Thor but were unable to do so immediately as the vessel had not yet arrived at the jetty, having been towed from an earlier location by security operatives.

“While awaiting the vessel’s arrival, the team inspected other containers suspected to be carrying crude oil within the premises of Ebenco Global Links Limited, where samples were taken from a storage barge.

“MT Thor eventually berthed at about 8:30 p.m. on 16 December, prompting the joint team to adjourn sampling and other procedures until the following day.

As of 17 December 2025, investigators were reported to be en route to Koko to continue sample collection and complete investigation formalities,” the report read.

Receiving the suspects, the Head of the Special Prosecution Team of the Inter-Agency Task Force, Omar Sini, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to dismantle crude oil theft networks in the Niger Delta, assuring that all findings would be thoroughly examined and prosecuted in line with the law.

Headlines

Mobereola, NIMASA DG, reflects on year 2025 with satisfaction, says 2026 holds promising opportunities for maritime industry

Funso OLOJO

The Director -General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has expressed his satisfaction over the achievements recorded in the maritime industry in the outgoing year of 2025, while looking forward to a promising 2026 with hope.

In his Christmas message to the stakeholders in the maritime industry, Dr Mobereola noted that the 2026 ended well with the election of Nigeria into the category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) after 14 years of failed attempts as well as zero occurrence of piracy attacks on Nigeria’ waters.

“The year 2025 has been a good one for our industry as once again, we have not recorded a single piracy attack in our waters in a whole calendar year, Nigeria was also able to deposit three Instruments of Accession to IMO Conventions that were signed by President Bola Tinubu ,we have been able to maintain industrial harmony in the sector all of which culminated to Nigeria’s election into the category C Council of the International Maritime Organization.

“We couldn’t have done this without our stakeholders who have contributed in various ways in the course of their operations during the year. We see you, we thank you and we felicitate with your during this yuletide season”Mobereola observed.

He however assured that the Agency will re-double efforts in ensuring that 2026 is even better for every stakeholder.

While calling on industry operators to brace up for the new year with hope of better times, Dr. Mobereola noted that “at NIMASA, we appreciate the weight of our renewed responsibility by virtue of Nigeria’s membership of the IMO Council because to whom much is given, much is definitely expected.

” You can therefore be sure of an increased momentum in our resolve to sustain maritime safety, security, environmental protection and adherence to relevant conventions and protocols with renewed vigour.”

The DG concluded by acknowledging the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, industry stakeholders, management and staff of NIMASA as well as all Nigerians and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Headlines

FG trains 75 boat operators on safe inland waterway navigation

Funso OLOJO

The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has concluded a three-day Boat Navigation and Safety Training for 75 boat drivers and skippers, as part of efforts to improve safety and professionalism on Nigeria’s inland waterways.

The training, which ran from Monday, 22, December, 2025 to Wednesday, 24 December, 2025 focused on equipping participants with the practical knowledge and operational competence required for the issuance of the Certificate in Safe Boating and Navigation.

Participants were drawn from major boating associations, including the Maritime Workers Union, the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATAN), and the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN).

Boat operators from Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states took part in the programme.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Timothy Clement of the NIWA Lagos Area Office described the training as a significant intervention aimed at reducing accidents on inland waterways.

He noted that many previous boat mishaps were caused by limited technical knowledge and insufficient experience among operators, adding that sustained capacity-building would help address the challenge.

Clement also highlighted ongoing safety measures being implemented by NIWA, including the removal of wrecks to improve navigation and continuous sensitisation of boat operators along major routes such as CMS, Ikorodu, Badore, Badagry and Port Novo.

According to him, NIWA has intensified awareness campaigns, moving from jetty to jetty to educate operators on safe practices, while encouraging boat owners to release more skippers and captains for structured training programmes.

“So far, so good. We thank God for the success of this three-day training for boat skippers.

“Participants came from Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, and over the past three days, they have learned a great deal,” Clement said.

“This year alone, NIWA conducted sensitisation exercises two to three times across different jetties.

“We are encouraging operators to make more of their captains and skippers available for this kind of training.

” I believe that by this time next year, we will have even more reasons to celebrate improved safety on our waterways,” he added.

Also speaking, the Lead Trainer and Consultant, Dr. Sileola Akinbowale, described the programme as a life-saving initiative designed to strengthen manpower capacity and reduce waterway accidents.

She explained that the training was structured to ensure boat operators are properly equipped with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills required to operate safely and efficiently.

Akinbowale commended the Federal Government, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the former Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, for prioritising safety and capacity development in the sector.

Assessing the programme, she rated it about 90 per cent successful, noting that it combined classroom sessions with practical exercises on the water.

“We did not limit the training to classroom lectures. Participants were taken out for practical sessions at the jetty, which made the programme very effective. It was an all-inclusive training, not just theory,” she said.

She assured that the initiative would be sustained, stressing that continuous capacity enhancement remains critical to saving lives and improving professionalism on inland waterways.

Participants expressed satisfaction with the training, describing it as timely and impactful.

A Lagos-based boat operator, Wasiu Olalekan, said the programme had strengthened participants’ ability to respond to emergencies and distress situations.

“With this training, we now know how to handle distress situations on the waterways because of the knowledge given to us. On behalf of the Lagos State participants, we appreciate the Minister and NIWA management for this opportunity,” he said.

Another participant from Ondo State, Biobaku John, said the training exposed him to critical safety and emergency response skills that would enhance his professionalism.

“I gained important safety and firefighting skills during these three days. As a boat driver, I learned a lot and I am proud to have participated,” he said.

Similarly, the leader of the Ogun State delegation, Pami Ronald, said participants were trained in boat handling, safety procedures, first aid, emergency response, engine maintenance and effective waterway transport management.

“For the past three days, we learned extensively about safety, first aid, how to raise alarms, call for rescue teams and even engine maintenance. The training was very educative,” he said.

The programme forms part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and NIWA, in line with recommendations from investigation reports under the tenure of former NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, to improve safety standards, professionalism and confidence among inland waterway operators nationwide.