Maritime
NIMASA Arrests 10 Suspected Pirates In Lagos… Detains Oil Vessel; MT Ocean Treasure
Names of the suspect could not be gotten because the lawyer vehemently refused, but the NIMASA spokes person however said that the suspects have been identified by the crew on board.
LAGOS-The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has arrested and paraded ten persons suspected to be sea pirates in connection with last week’s attack on one of the agency’s patrol boat which eventually led to the death of one of its captain, Capt. Romeo Itima around the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Escravos, Delta State.
The suspected pirates were arrested in Lagos on Saturday aboard an oil vessel called MT Ocean Treasure around the Kirikiri area of Lagos. The vessel was loaded with 300metric tonnes of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO) which was confirmed to have been loaded at Akassa in Bayelsa State.
Parading the suspected pirates to journalists in Lagos today, the Public Relations Officer of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka explained that the pirates aboard MT Ocean Treasure had fired at the Capt. Itima’s crew on board the NIMASA patrol boat called ‘NIMASA Burutu’. She however said that the captain of the arrested vessel is still at large.
She said that the NIMASA crew of seven men and its security guard were on a routine patrol and also checking papers of vessels around the Escravos area for legitimacy but that the crew surprisingly drew fire from the bunker barge as they try to approach it for identification, this prompted a gun duel and a chase.
Tumaka further explained that after the chase which led to Capt. Itima’s death, the agency had embarked on an investigation and that it had been monitoring the activities of the vessel until it finally got to Lagos.
“It was in the course of ongoing investigation and patrols that men of the maritime guard command detained MT Treasure around Kirikiri area on Saturday 11th August and arrested all the crew members who you are seeing today”
According to her, the vessel had come to Lagos to discharge its products unknown to them that they were being trailed.
Names of the suspect could not be gotten because the lawyer vehemently refused, but the NIMASA spokes person however said that the suspects have been identified by the crew on board.
Also speaking, the Commander of the maritime guard command, Capt. Promise Dappa explained that the suspected were held over the weekend at the western naval command and that they will be handed over to the appropriate authorities.
“NIMASA cannot detain people, we don’t even have the detention facility, so after this they will be handed over to the relevant security agencies and they will continue with the investigation, they were kept in protective custody at the naval base over the weekend when the vessel was arrested”
He explained that no ammunition was found on the suspects because there was a speedboat attached to the barge when the shooting started, “when they came to Lagos the speedboat was not there, we don’t know if they have discharged them or maybe the boat was escorting them and it quickly disappeared after the shooting” Capt Dappa said.
Maritime
Maritime Governance: Minister Deposits Three Accession Instruments At IMO
The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has deposited three Instruments of Accession to IMO Conventions signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the global body.
He did so on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which acts as the repository for these conventions.
This move, coming a few weeks after Nigeria declared its intention to contest election for a seat on the IMO Council, is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
Shortly after the presentation ceremonies, Oyetola informed the IMO Secretary General, Arsenio Dominguez, of the President’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria aligns with international maritime standards regarding maritime safety, security, and sustainable marine practices.
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He also called on the IMO to extend technical support to Nigeria.
In his words, “These instruments, duly acceded by His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, signify Nigeria’s continued commitment to aligning with international maritime standards, ensuring maritime safety and security, and promoting sustainable marine practices.
“We hereby request tailored technical cooperation under the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) to enhance Nigeria’s compliance with IMO conventions and improve our maritime governance and implementation of the instruments we submitted today.”
On his part, Dominguez, acknowledged with appreciation the formal deposition of the Instruments of Accession, stating that it underscores Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to aligning with global maritime standards.
“I congratulate Nigeria for its exceptional efforts in acceding to these six critical IMO instruments. I encourage continued momentum by securing presidential assent to additional key conventions. We at the IMO remains fully committed to supporting Nigeria through technical cooperation and capacity-building initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of these instruments,” he stated.
The instruments Oyetola handed over to Dominguez include the instrument of accession to the 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA Protocol 2005), the instrument of accession to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), and the instrument of accession to the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil (Intervention Protocol 1973).
It was gathered that three other Instruments of Accession signed by President Tinubu are undergoing further steps to complete the processes for their deposit.
Maritime
Capacity Dev’t: NIMASA Assures On Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund
Funds accrued under the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are intact and currently held with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Single Treasury Account (TSA).
This assertion was made by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
The clarification became necessary to address “a misleading publication alleging that funds have disappeared from the CVFF account”.
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The statement reads, in part, “The report of a missing money is both misleading and false.
“For the record, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, securely held in the NIMASA account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), remains intact. There has been no disappearance of funds, and no illegal transactions, as the article suggests. This misinformation is a figment of the authors imagination, aimed at undermining NIMASA’s integrity, and mislead the public about the Agency’s operations.
“The Management of NIMASA will ensure that the CVFF is utilised in line with its statutory purpose. NIMASA Director General, Dr Mobereola has assured stakeholders of the safety of funds under the CVFF.”
The statement cited the DG thus, “Let us be clear that the CVFF account at the Central Bank of Nigeria is safe, intact, and secure. We at NIMASA will continue to manage it with the utmost responsibility, and there are no irregularities or illegal activities surrounding the funds. I urge the public to disregard this false narrative and to continue trusting the Agency’s ability to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s maritime sector”.
It was gathered that the CVFF is a fund established under section 42 of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity and to provide credit facilities to local maritime operators.
The NIMASA, assured of its commitment “to transparency, accountability, and the advancement of Nigeria’s maritime sector.”
Maritime
Okpebholo Hits Ground Running, Flags Off Edo’s 1st Flyover Bridge
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo appears eager to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents.
This is discernible from the frenzy of activities being witnessed in his first few days on the job, including dissolution of boards, constitution of investigative panels, flagging off of infrastructure projects, among others.
In the bid to address the perennial road traffic congestion negatively impacting economic and social activities in Benin City, the state capital, Gov Okpebholo on Wednesday flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge.
Biztellers reports that the flyover bridge around the popular Ramat Park in the city centre is the first of such in the history of Edo State.
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The Edo State Government made the disclosure in its verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Wednesday.
It wrote, “Traffic decongestion: Gov Okpebholo flags off first flyover in Edo.
“Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo has flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge at Ramat Park, Benin City, the State Capital, as part of immediate efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city.”