Headlines
NIMASA assembles expert team on maritime security strategy to curtail piracy
Eyewitness reporter
Jamoh also commended the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for its technical support to Nigeria by assigning facilitators to assist the country.
According to the DG, maritime security will always be of priority concern to the Agency, noting that it is the bedrock and guarantee of every meaningful shipping enterprise.
The NIMASA DG said the strategy would become the culmination of all the various efforts, initiatives, and partnerships the Agency started out under its “Triple S” of Maritime Security, Safety and Shipping Development upon his assumption of office in March 2020.
“There can be no doubt, to the fact that maritime security is the bedrock and guarantee of every meaningful shipping enterprise. From the crew to cargo to carrier to the coast and quayside, there must be security all the way for confidence to drive shipping economics.
“Maritime security has always been and will continue to remain a priority. You are all aware of the current successes achieved in ensuring maritime security within the nation’s maritime domain and the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) as a whole.
“Specifically, the GoG region is experiencing an unprecedented decline in piracy incidents over the past three decades.
“Also, this is the product of concerted efforts of the Agency in collaboration with other relevant government bodies such as the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Army, the Department of State Security (DSS), and several other states and non-state actors and stakeholders having security responsibilities.
Jamoh pointed out that NIMASA is mindful of the dynamic nature of maritime security threats; hence the need to take deliberate steps to ensure the sustainability of its achievements, through the establishment of a coordinated, whole-of-government approach in dealing with issues of maritime security.
He stated that the Agency’s strategic responsibilities to protect ships, seafarers, shipload, merchandise, ports and all other assets in Nigeria’s maritime domain as mandated by the NIMASA Act, ISPS Code Implementation Regulations (2014) and, more recently, the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act makes it pertinent for it to successfully drive the collaborative development of the NMSS.
“I am therefore hopeful that by the end of this programme, not only will you be trained as Maritime Security Professionals (MSPs), but you will also be equipped with the requisite skills to offer similar training on behalf of the Agency to individuals who intend to carry out specific maritime security functions.
“The Expert Learning Planning Team (ELPT) is to develop a blueprint of the National Maritime Security Strategy (NMSS). This would serve as the basis for your determination of the members of the cross-government Working Group (WG) that will execute subsequent steps of this drafting process.
Jamoh thanked the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for the technical assistance through Philip Heyl and Rear Admiral O.C Medani of the Nigerian Navy (Rtd) facilitating the sessions.
He added that the IMO’s unflinching assistance has enabled the Agency to develop a workable, multi-phase plan, which it is currently executing.
Headlines
Alleged N8.5bn Fraud: You Have Case To Answer, Lagos Court Tells NIMASA Staff, Ex-JTF Commander
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, April 22, 2024, told a former Commander of the Joint Military Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd.), and a staff of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Kime Engonzu, that they have a case to answer in the alleged N8.5bn money laundering case brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Atewe and Engonzu are standing trial on a 22-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N8, 537,586,798.58, which also involves a former Director-General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, and Josephine Otuaga, also a staff of NIMASA.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu, and Josphine Otuaga, sometime in 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court, with intent to defraud, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: conversion of the sum of N8,537,586,798.58 property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thereby prompting the commencement of their trial.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution called several witnesses and subsequently closed its case against the defendants.
However, the defendants, rather than open their defence, filed a no-case-submission.
Akpobolokemi had, in a no-case submission, filed by his lawyer, Dr. Joseph Nwobike, SAN, prayed the court for an acquittal without having him present a defence.
Ruling on the no-case submission on Monday, Justice Faji discharged and acquitted Akpobolokemi and Otuaga, the fourth defendant.
Headlines
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukayode, threatens to resign if Yahaya Bello is not brought to justice.
According to the EFCC Chairman, he had a telephone conversation with Bello offering him ample opportunities to present himself for interrogation by investigators of the EFCC.
“On my honour, I put a call to him to honour him as a former governor.
He told the media executives that the Commission has recovered more than N120billion from fraudsters within six months and secured more than 1300 convictions.
He called on Nigerians to be more dedicated to the nation, insisting that patriotic Nigerians should offer more support to the EFCC because the Commission is crucial to the growth and development of Nigeria.
Headlines
EFCC denies disobeying court order on Yahaya Bello
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.
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”
-
Headlines2 months ago
Houthis attacks on Red Sea: Maersk hikes freight rate, imposes $1,000 container fee
-
Customs2 months ago
Customs commences disposal of seized rice at N10,000 per 25kg to needy Nigerians, beneficiaries must have valid NIN
-
Headlines4 weeks ago
Shippers’ Council in panic mode over implementation of Oronsaye report
-
Customs1 month ago
Customs mulls establishment of export terminal in Kano for enhancement of trading activities
-
Customs3 weeks ago
Amidst decline in cargo throughput, Customs garners N1.347 trillion revenue in three months
-
Headlines1 month ago
Pius Akutah orders mass dismissal of contract staff, casual workers at Shippers’ Council