Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr Peterside Dakuku, has said there would be partnership between the agency, Stakeholders, Security Agencies as well as other relevant bodies, to take legal action against perpetrators of crime in the Nation’s waterways.
In a meeting on Maritime Piracy organised by INTERPOL Regional Bureau of West Africa in Lagos, Mr. Dakuku explained that proper legal framework, synergy and information sharing among Government Agencies and Stakeholders will help find lasting solution to the menace of piracy activities in the region.
“We have at no point prosecuted crimes on our waterways and the Security Agencies must initiate it”.
The DG, while commending INTERPOL for the initiative, stated that a process of successful prosecution of perpetrators of crimes, committed in the Nation’s territorial waterways and the Gulf of Guinea has commenced in order to discourage others.
“Every other person may give us assistance but we have a role to play in ensuring that our waterways are safe and secured for maritime business to thrive”.
The Regional Specialized Officer for Maritime Piracy, Mr Sunday Okeobor, explained that capacity development of the law enforcement officers of the various countries belonging to the region is vital in tackling all forms of criminalities.
He emphasized that all Security Agencies must work collaboratively with INTERPOL and NIMASA in order to bridge the gap of bureaucracy thereby giving way for proper prosecution.
Assistant Director, Dr Omotayo Oni, who represented the Ministry of Justice, said synergy among Security Agencies is key to making maritime domain safe and secured for any development to take place.
He noted that the Ministry was working on a Bill on Piracy and Maritime crimes, sponsored by NIMASA, which will stand as a legal framework for the prosecution of maritime crimes.
