FG Moves To Enact Law On Maritime Piracy

Fresh indication emerged
on the move by the Federal Government of Nigeria to propose a bill to the national assembly that will address maritime piracy on the nation’s maritime domain.
This was made known by the Senior Special Adviser on Maritime Affairs to the President, Mr. Leke Oyewole while highlighting some of the challenges on the nation’s territorial water in Lagos.
Speaking at a one-day conference on “preventing Terrorism and Insurgency In The Nigerian Maritime Domain” put together by the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation Of Nigeria (MARCON) , Oyewole disclosed that non-existence of laws against piracy in Nigerian waters has sent a wrong  signal to the international community but that  the government is ready to address such menaces as it affects the industry.
The president’s aid on maritime affairs noted that the current challenges faced by the industry are inherited by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration  even as he added that non-existence of a maritime laws is the bane of insecurity in the domain.
“We inherited it and we have continued to address it and one of the gaps is  the inadequacy of the surveillance system along our coast”.
He stressed that tanker vessels, fishing trawlers and service boats are prone  to attacks while cargo ships have been trading successfully without attack  by pirate or sea robbers.
Highlighting some of the challenges on the nation’s territorial domain ,Oyewole  noted that what is the problem with the fishing trawlers ,what is the  problem with the service boats and tanker vessels and why are they been  attacked”
“As far as the tanker vessels are concerned, violence against them can be said  to be occasioned by shape practises of the operators of the vessels which can be linked to subsidy, oil theft, adulteration and evasion of port charges and it is the main sources of violence against tankers”.
He said fishing trawlers are been attacked at sea for the purpose to collect money from crew on board vessels adding that it is a source of violence  against the fishing trawlers.
The maritime expert also affirmed that the service boats belonging to the. oil  industry impact negatively on the maritime domain.
He said pollution of the nation’s waters has caused anger with host communities because the indigenes of the regions are living in abject poverty.
Oyewole also called on the sustenance presence of the navy on the waters and also to increase their capacity as well.
He however decries the lack of synergy among maritime agencies of government.
While addressing journalists on the proposed maritime law on piracy, he said “proposal did not come from my office and the law will be with the national assemble, therefore it is not what I can talk much about,” he stated.