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Maritime Editors’ Appreciation Dinner: Night of tributes for Sambo, Adegoroye as they bow out in blaze of honour

The eyewitness reporterThe skylight of the beautiful Eko Hotels was abuzz with excitement. Its cozy ambiance was saturated with glitz and glamour.

From one of its halls came a bellow of tributes which oozed through the giant doors of the hall and blended with the serene environment of the prestigious hotel.

It was a night of tributes for Alhaji Muazu Jaji Sambo, the immediate past Minister of Transportation, and the Minister of State, Barrister Ademola Adewole Adegoroye.

It was a night the League of Maritime Editors decided to appreciate the short but impactful tenure of these gentlemen at the helms of affairs of the ministry.

It was a night the maritime stakeholders and Heads of the government agencies in the industry decided to say thank you to the men whose short but eventful tenure triggered a positive development in the industry.

So, on June 9th, 2023, the League of Maritime Editors organised what it called an appreciation dinner in honour of the immediate past ministers in the transportation ministry and feted them for a job well done.

It was an event that attracted the cream of the maritime industry, top government officials and members of the National Assembly.The roll call of the guests was impressive.

Boss Mustapha, the immediate past Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF) was represented. Mrs. Linda Ikpeazu, the immediate past Chairman, House Committee on Marine Transport graced the occasion.

Also in attendance was a full complement of the Heads of government agencies in the industry which includes Dr Bashir Jamoh, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Emmanuel Jime, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mrs. Chinyere Uromta, the Acting Registrar of the Council for the Regulations of Freight Forwarding Practice in Nigeria (CRFFN).

The event also attracted Messr Callistus Obi and Ferdinand Agu, both former NIMASA DGs.

Engineer Greg Ogbeifun led the Shipping community.

The two former Ministers, whom the night of honour was meant for, sat in their full regalia, soaking all the encomiums and eulogies showered on them.

Mrs Magdalene Ajani, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation also shared in the limelight.Chief Timothy Okorocha, the host President of the League of Maritime Editors, opened his welcome address on a sober note when he asked the august gathering to observe one-minute silence to give the last respect to two members of the maritime media confraternity, Messrs Ray Ugochukwu and Emma Adegbe, who departed to higher glory.

Thereafter, the night’s activities picked up and escalated to a high-pitched crescendo when speaker after speaker spoke glowingly of the two Ministers.

Earlier, Chief Okorocha told his audience that the maritime media decided to honour Sambo and Adegoroye for their impactful and effective leadership in the Ministry of Transportation which triggered a chain of positive achievements within so short a time in the maritime sector.

Okorocha ran through the list of achievements made under the short stint of the two men as Ministers, which Sambo fondly referred to as low-hanging fruits.

These include but not limited to the resolution of the nutty issue of the disbursement of the controversial Cabotage Vessels Financing Funds(CRFFN), the resuscitation of the jinxed Cargo Tracking Note(CTN) and other projects executed and commissioned during Sambo’s 10 -month stint as a Minister.

Okorocha said the event was meant to honour the hard work, commitment and dedication of the two former Ministers and to encourage other public officials.

He noted that in as much as journalists are critical of government officials and always ensure they are held accountable, he said journalists are also sensitive to the efficient and impactful leadership of such public servants and would not hesitate to honor such individuals.

Thereafter, in a blaze of commendations, encomiums and eulogies, the chief executive officers of the government agencies took turns to narrate their working experiences with the Ministers.Emmanuel Jime said that, initially, he and his colleagues at the Shippers’Council were skeptical about the coming of Sambo as the Minister as they feared he may be biased in his dealings with the council, given his working background at NPA and NIWA, but he revealed that the reverse was the case as the Council benefitted more from the short stint of the former Minister.

“As a matter of fact, the Shippers’ Council benefitted more from the minister as he supported us and gave us listening ears”

Jime attributed the resuscitation of the jinxed Cargo Tracking Note(CTN) to the commitment and doggedness of the Minister whom he said helped the Council to fight off the proverbial inter-agency rivalry that threatened to kill the project.

“For this, we confer on the minister the “Saurdana of Shippers’Council” Jime said, a statement which drew friendly jabs and flaks from the Minister and Dr. Jamoh.

Both the NPA MD, NIMASA DG and NRC MD spoke in a similar appreciatory manner, each giving his personal and working relationship with Sambo whom they all chorused has listening ears and other attributes of a leader and father to whom they all had unhindered access.

“He takes me like his brother and advised me on a number of things. But when he is angry, you wouldn’t want to come across him.

“But his anger goes as quickly as it comes,” said Bello-Koko.

“Through his leadership, close supervision and guidance, NIMASA has been able to commission lots of projects which include our permanent zonal offices in Abuja, and Port Harcourt and yet-to-be commissioned Lokoja office” disclosed Jamoh.All the heads of the agencies were unanimous in their conviction that the leadership of Sambo inspired them to gain ascendency in their various areas of mandates.

“He inspired us to work harder and better” the NRC MD disclosed.

Mrs. Uromta, the CRFFN acting Registrar said the two former ministers have inspiring personalities and admired them from a distance.But she lamented that at a time when she had the opportunity to get close to and interact with them at close quarters as the head of CRFFN, that was when their tenure expired.

She then wished, just like other heads of the agencies, that Sambo will stage a comeback to the industry as the Minister in the current dispensation.

All through this blaze of glory and honour, Sambo and Adegoroye, sat with glowing and animated faces, smiling as the torrent of encomiums and eulogies cascaded from the podium and submerged the entire guests who watched and listened with admiration as each of the agency heads tried to outdo one another in their attempt to paint the former ministers in glowing tributes.

After soaking in enough eulogies, Sambo mounted the podium and momentarily became speechless as he tried to find the right words to express his appreciation.

He said he was surprised at the amount of goodwill and quantum of eulogies he received from the appreciative industry stakeholders.

He particularly thanked the organisers of the event, the League of Maritime Editors for the honour.

Turning to them with a wide grin on his face, Sambo intoned” You guys shocked me with this reception and show of love. It is not as if I give you money but because of your love for me that made you do this, thank you very much”

Sambo expressed his deep appreciation to former President Mohammed Buhari who he said gave him the opportunity to serve.

“It was a thing of joy that barely three years after I retired from the civil service, I was called upon to come and serve my father’s land in such a high capacity as a Minister.

“It was a rare honour and privilege for me.” Sambo declared in an emotion-laden voice.

He recalled his civil service career at the NPA as a Civil Engineer and at NIWA as Area Manager and declared that he had a good working relationship with his colleagues.

He admonished his audience to forge a good relationship with people as this is an attribute that has helped his career as a civil servant and politician.

Sambo also reminisced on his political journey which culminated in his appointment as a Minister, first as a Minister of State, Works and Housing and Minister of Transportation.

“It was a rare privilege and I served as a Minister for one and half years and am going to retire a fulfilled man.

” The icing on the cake is the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger(CON)conferred on me by former President Buhari to whom I will remain eternally grateful”

He said that the former President gave all the Ministers a free hand to perform their duties, a development which he said helped him a lot to record the quantum of achievements in the maritime industry within so short a time.

The night was capped with mixed genres of entertainment of cultural dance, poetic rendition, stand-up comedy and light music to which the two ministers and the Permanent Secretary displayed different dexterity of their dancing skills.

What a fulfilling way to cap a glorious civil service and political career.

It was a night of glitz and glamour which Sambo and Adegoroye will forever cherish and remember for a very long time.

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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.

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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.

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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.