The Nigerians Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says, it is set to forge a strategic alliance with the Nigerian Police to curb the escalation of armed bandit and other criminal attacks against visiting ship within the nation’s port access channel and inland waters.

Director General of the agency, Mr. Temisan Omatseye, who was on a courtesy visit to the newly appointed inspector general of Police Mr. Hafiz Ringim, at the force headquarters in Abuja, expressed the willingness to work closely with the Nigerian Police to check criminal activities in the waterways in particular within the port area as well as in the creck of the Niger Delta.

Mr. Omatseye told the police chief that in line with the agency’s mandate to make the country’s waterways safe and secure for maritime commerce, we have had engagement with organisations like the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Airforce to Safeguard the nation’s maritime assets and arrest the piracy scourge in our waters.

A statement by the Deputy Director of NIMASA, Mrs. Ego Nwakocha quoted Mr. Omatseye as saying that the Agency is seeking a Similar collaboration with the Nigerian Police on Security of Ships at anchorage in the Ports and in the crecks. He disclosed that the agency has been receiving reports on largo ships being attacked by the armed bandits at Apapa Port, a development, he further said was of great concern to the Agency due to the negative impact of the incidents on the cost of shipping service, just as it puts the country in bad light.

The NIMASA also disclosed that the menace has attracted the attention of president Goodluck Jonathan, saying that the agency is determined to flush out the criminals from the Nigerian waterways.

It would be recalled that the federal government early this year handed over 59 specialised security combat patrol boats to the Nigerians police to boost their patrol of the nation’s inland waterways. The flects which is to be managed by the police marine unit, consist of four unit of 20-meter specialised landing craft, fully armed with heavy and light machine guns and hand held grenades, 15 units of 16 meter patrol personnel launches with ballistic protected wheel houses, and 40-units of 12-meter patrol personnel launchers with full complement of security combat equipment.

Omatseye was also quoted to have told the inspector general of police that NIMASA’s proposal which enjoys that backing of the federal ministry of transport would assist the Nigerian Police to sustain regular patrol of the nation’s port access, channels and creeks, saying that the agency is prepared to support the Nigerians police in the area of logistics, manpower, development, intelligence and the requisite hardware to effectively police the inland waters and creeks.

According to NIMASA’S image maker, the D.G further suggested that the two agencies consider the adoption of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would guide the relationship between them.

Nwokocha said the police chief to his guest that the Nigeria police is interested in the proposal as he believes it would add value to current efforts by the police to improve security in the country whether on land or sea.