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NIMASA deploys Deep Blue assets to track kidnapped maritime workers in Rivers —–as Jamoh condemns incident

Eyewitness reporter

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has deployed its sophisticated Deep Blue assets, especially the c4i and intelligence centres of the agency, to monitor and track the eight kidnapped Nigerians, five of whom are members of the Nigeria Maritime workers union.

It would be recalled that eight Nigerians, five of who are maritime workers, were kidnapped on Monday in Rivers State while travelling to Port Harcourt from Kula area in Akuku-Toru LGA, before the gunmen struck at Kula-Abonnema waterway.
 However,  Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the Director-General of the agency, has  condemned
the incident which he described as a dent in the massive successes being recorded in the fight against pirates and other maritime criminals in recent times.

In his solidarity message to the President-General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, Dr Jamoh expressed sadness over the incident, regretting

Jamoh

Adewale Adeyanju, PG, MWUN

that this was happening when the Nigerian maritime industry is witnessing tremendous gains in the nation’s maritime security sphere and are getting commended for the progress both locally and internationally.

“I have spoken with the President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju to express the agency’s displeasure over the incident and unequivocal condemnation of this unpalatable development, especially when the industry is beginning to witness tremendous gains in our maritime security sphere and are getting commended for the progress both locally and internationally.

“I also assured him of the agency’s support during this challenging period till the abducted maritime workers are returned safely to their families and the industry.
“The MWUN President, who said his team is moving to the vicinity of the incident by this weekend, welcomed our show of solidarity and support as part of the maritime family.

“Apart from condemning this situation, NIMASA is also following the trend of the events, and our Deep Blue assets, especially the C4i and intelligence centres are monitoring and we shall keep the public apprised of progress,” the Director-General said.

He also said that the agency is not unmindful of sea pirates’ presence and activities of other marine criminals who are running away from the intense heat in the nation’s territorial waters, courtesy of the enforcement of the Deep Blue Project.

Jamoh noted that such lawless persons would have started relocating to the low rivers to continue their criminal enterprise.

Dr. Jamoh vowed that the personnel of the Deep Blue Project would ensure that all waters of the coastal states are covered in their daily patrol to nip in the bud any act of criminality in the waterways and creeks.

He also assured that the Special Maritime Intelligence Unit of Deep Blue Project will up its ante in engaging the youths at the creeks through the use of the carrot and stick policy of the Agency to wean them away from marine-related atrocities and crimes.

Dr. Jamoh further said that the Agency will continue to explore its partnerships with the governors of the littoral state to continue to sensitize the youths on the non-profitability of marine crime as well as ensuring that they are meaningfully engaged to contribute their quota to the development of the nation.

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Headlines

EFCC denies disobeying court order on Yahaya Bello

Ola Olukayode, EFCC Chairman

The Eyewitness Reporter 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has denied the widely held claim that it flouted a court order restraining it from arresting or harassing Yahaya Bello, the former Governor of Kogi State.

The EFCC said this clarification became necessary against the backdrop of arguments and counter-arguments on whether the anti-graft agency has disobeyed a court order concerning the botched arrest of the former governor of Kogi State.

In a Press Statement signed by the EFCC’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the Commission clearly pointed out that though Bello sought refuge in a fundamental rights enforcement action through an order granted by  Justice Isa Jamil Abdulallahi of the Kogi State High Court, the order did not vitiate or nullify an order made by the Federal High Court for the arrest of the former governor for the purpose of his arraignment.“The enrolled Order of the Kogi State High Court only granted an order to enforce Bello’s right to personal liberty and freedom of movement, it didn’t preclude the Federal High Court ‘to make any Order as it may deem just in the determination of the rights of the Applicant and the Respondent as may be submitted to her for consideration and determination”,  he said.

He further stressed that “The Order made by the Federal  High Court for the arrest of Mr. Yahaya Bello for the purpose of his arraignment is not in conflict with the Order of the Kogi State High Court.

“The case before the Federal High Court is a criminal charge which is different from the fundamental rights enforcement action that is the subject of an appeal”.

Uwujaren pointed out that the EFCC had a shining track record in the prosecution of politically exposed persons and would continue to exercise its mandate in the overall interest of the nation.

” He admonished Bello to turn himself in and answer to the charges preferred against him by the Commission.

He called on all patriotic Nigerians to lend their voices in support of the Commission stressing that ” the EFCC will not relent in its quest to wrestle corruption to the ground”

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Economy

CBN sells $15.830m at N1.021 per dollar to 1,583 BDCs

CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso
The Eyewitness Reporter 
In its ongoing effort to ensure liquidity in the foreign exchange market which is expected to ease the pressure on the naira, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Monday disbursed the sum of $15,830,000m to 1,583 licensed Bureau De Change Operators at $10, 000 each.
In a letter dated April 22nd, 2024 and addressed to the President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria and signed by Dr Hassan Mahmud, the Director, Trade and Exchange Department of the CBN, the beneficiaries are mandated to sell allocated forex to eligible end users ” at a spread of not more than 1.5 percent above the purchase price.
The CBN said the sale of forex to the BDCs will meet market demand (retail-end) for invisible transactions.
The apex bank however advised all the BDCs to continue to abide by the rules and conditions as stipulated in the operational guidelines.
The beneficiary BDCs have trading locations at Lagos, Abuja, Akwa and Kano.
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Headlines

NPA commences rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructure at Lagos ports with $700m loan from Citibank

Mohammed Bello-Koko, NPA MD
The Eyewitness Reporter 
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has finally secured a loan of $700 million from Citibank to be funded by the UK Export  Finance (UKEF) , an export credit agency, to rehabilitate the Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports, Lagos.
The Ports Authority has also opened a discussion with another funding agency to secure financing for upgrading the Eastern Ports including Calabar, Warri,  Onne and Rivers Ports as well as the reconstruction of the Escravos breakwater.
Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday during the signing of the mandate letter with Citibank Nigeria, Managing Director of the NPA,  Mohammed Bello-Koko, said the mandate letter will be sent to the Debt Management Office for final review and approval.
He said the funds are ready and the reconstruction of the Lagos Ports will start soonest even as the NPA perfects plans to sign another mandate letter for the upgrading of the Eastern Ports in about a month.
“In the last two years, NPA has realised the need for us to rehabilitate and reconstruct the ports all over the country.
” We have been having discussions with multilateral funding agencies who have sent various proposals that we have reviewed.
“What we did is to further discussion with interested parties and we realised is better is to separate the ports in Lagos from the ports in the East, and we are in discussion with other funding agencies to fund the construction of ports outside Lagos,” he said.
According to him, the Citibank facility is the cheapest for the Ports Authority because it comes with affordable interest rates.
“Port efficiency is not about automation which we have already begun, it’s also about the physical infrastructure, which must be in place and that’s why we are automating. Automation will naturally bring efficiency, increase revenue and plug leakages, ” he said.
Bello-Koko said that the NPA putting the Port Community System in place, which is a platform that will improve trade facilitation.
“Currently in Nigeria, importers or exporters fill up to 30 to 40 forms for one transaction but the Port Community System will reduce the numbers of forms, human interference and ensure speedy clearance process in or out of the country,” he added
Earlier, the Managing Director of Citibank Nigeria Limited, Ireti Samuel-Ogbu, said the bank is committed to supporting NPA and the federal government in bridging the infrastructure gap.
“We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with NPA especially being the collection bank for foreign and local currency port levies.
“Now, supporting this strategic initiative through export credit financing to upgrade port infrastructure in Tin-Can and Lagos Ports is commendable. However, we are committed in supporting NPA and the Nigerian Government in all its endeavours, especially in the infrastructure space.
According to her, Citibank was opportune to have met with Wale Edun, Minister of Finance, a few weeks ago where the port upgrading project was mentioned and he was very delighted about the project.
“Since NPA generates its own foreign revenue, we will be able to support foreign facility from our resources because this project is very strategic and an important project for NPA and the country at large.
“We are looking forward to this project and we thank NPA for giving us this opportunity and hope to bring this to fruition as soon as possible,” Samuel-Ogbu said.
In 2023, Bello Koko said the NPA was sourcing about $1.1b in loans to rehabilitate the dilapidated infrastructure at the nation’s ports.
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