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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.

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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.

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Maritime

NIMASA Makes Dockworkers Registration Compulsory

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The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has advised International Oil Companies, terminal and jetty operators, and all other companies involved in stevedoring in the country to refrain from engaging unregistered dockworkers.

The information was contained in a statement made available to Biztellers by the Head, Public Relations, NIMASA, Osagie Edward.

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According to the statement, all stakeholders, including dock labour employers and stevedoring companies, are encouraged to apply for new operating licenses or renew expired ones within a 30-day moratorium period.

“This requirement,” it added, “is stipulated by the NIMASA Act of 2007 and outlined in the NIMASA Stevedoring Regulations of 2014, which mandates strict compliance from all maritime operators.”

Osagie cited the Director General, NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola as laying emphasis on the need for stakeholders to comply with extant laws and regulations.

Dr Mobereola said, “No terminal or company shall continue to engage the services of unregistered dockworkers for cargo handling at their work locations.

“This move is part of our broader effort to ensure safe and regulated operations within Nigeria’s maritime industry. Compliance with these regulations will enhance our ability to maintain an up-to-date database of dockworkers operating in the country. It also improves our planning processes, as we are committed to developing their capacity to meet globally accepted standards for dockworkers in Nigeria. We intend to enforce full compliance after the moratorium period.”

It was gathered that the NIMASA Act, 2007, Part IX, Section 27, addressed the registration of Dockworkers with focus on Maritime Labour.

“It ensures the Registration, Regulation, and control of Maritime Labour, including dockworkers. The Act assigns the Agency the responsibility of maintaining standards in accordance with international best practices,” Osagie added.

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Maritime

Maritime Diplomacy: Nigeria Seeks Election Into IMO Council

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Nigeria has expressed a strong desire to seek election into Category “C” of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council.

The Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, made the disclosure at the 2024 World Maritime Day parallel event in Barcelona, Spain.

Oyetola noted that Nigeria has put in place the basic needs for the development of her maritime industry in line with recognized global best practices.

In his words, “our active participation in upholding key conventions, such as the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, reflects our dedication to ensuring the safety of international shipping.

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There have been no incidents of piracy in the last three years, as confirmed by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). By deploying resources to provide maritime security assets, Nigeria has solidified its role as a key guardian of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

Nigeria remains a valuable source of manpower for the industry. I therefore urge our partners to explore this potential and assist where possible in the best interest of all. Our Maritime Academy has adequate resources and facilities to support this development.

“I am pleased to announce Nigeria’s resolve to seek a Category “C” membership on the Council.

On his part, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, assured that no stone will be left unturned to ensure success in the quest for IMO Category C membership at the next elections.

According to him, “We at NIMASA have met with the IMO technical team and have commenced work on all identified grey areas so that Nigeria can address the gaps identified during the last audit by the IMO.

”We have also commenced the process of effective communication with other member states using the IMO GSIS platform, among others. While we at NIMASA focus on the technical aspects of the preparations, our supervising Ministry will provide the political will to guide Nigeria back to the Council at the IMO.”

Oyetola, who held engagement sessions with the IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez and other diplomats, was accompanied on the working tour by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola; the Director General of the NIMASA; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; the Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji; and the Director of Maritime Safety and Security Services, Mr. Babatunde Bombata.

This year’s parallel event with the theme: Navigating the Future: Safety First, brought together international maritime leaders and experts to discuss future challenges and opportunities, with the aim of ensuring that safety is prioritized in the day-to-day operations of the global maritime sector.

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Maritime

Why PPP Is Necessity For Nigeria’s Maritime Infrastructural Dev’t – Mobereola 

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The adoption of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model is essential for the infrastructural development of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

This is the view of the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola.

The DG, shared his views while hosting the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh.

He emphasized the importance of the Commission’s increased involvement in attracting private investors to develop infrastructural capacity in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

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Dr. Mobereola said, “We appreciate the Management of the ICRC for being responsive. However, you know that the maritime sector is capital intensive and government funds cannot solely put in place the required infrastructure. We need the ICRC to develop PPP based business models that will be attractive to the private sector both from within and outside the country.

“There is the need to streamline processes by the use of technology, as we will continue to count on the support of ICRC to help drive the Agency’s PPP projects for effective and efficient service delivery to our stakeholders”.

Lending support to Dr. Mobereola’s views, Dr. Ewalefoh, underscored the significance of the maritime sector to Nigeria’s economy.

He noted that the PPP model would facilitate increased funding and expertise from the private sector, thereby accelerating the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime sector. Additionally, he stated that the ICRC is prepared to engage with the Agency on its projects and ensure timely execution.

“There is no time to waste; our country needs lots of funding for infrastructure and we need to create an enabling environment for activities to thrive. First, is service delivery, not revenue generation, and people will be willing to pay if they get the right services”, the ICRC boss noted.

The PPP model has proven to be the most viable approach worldwide for driving government policies that promote development and economic growth.

Biztellers reports that as a regulatory agency and Nigeria’s Maritime Administrator, the NIMASA has consistently embraced collaboration and partnership through the PPP initiative to ensure the growth and development of the maritime sector.

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