Apparently worried by the rising menace of sea robbery and piracy within the nation’s maritime domain, the federal government has commenced moves to forward a bill to the National Assembly that will specifically address maritime piracy-related issues .
This was made known in Lagos yesterday by the Senior Special Adviser on Maritime Affairs to the President, Mr. Leke Oyewole while highlighting some of the challenges within the nation's territorial waters.
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 acknowledged that absence of laws against sea piracy in Nigeria is sending a wrong signal to the international community, but gave assurances that the government is ready to address such menace.
He said maritime piracy law "proposal did not come from my office and the law will be with the National Assembly, therefore it is not what I can talk much about".
The SSA 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 definite law on piracy is the major cause of insecurity within the Nigerian maritime 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 told the gathering of stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry.
He disclosed that while tanker vessels, fishing trawlers and service boats are prone to attacks cargo ships have been trading successful without being attacked by pirate or sea robbers.
Highlighting some the challenges on the nation's 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 being attacked".
"As far as the tanker vessels are concerned, violence against them can be said to be occasioned by shape practices on the part 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 added.
He said fishing trawlers are being attacked at sea for the purpose of stealing money from crew on board, adding that it is a source of violence against the fishing trawlers.
The Presidential aide however called for the sustenance presence of the navy on the waters and also to increase their capacity as well.
He however decried the lack of synergy among maritime agencies of government.
http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/fg-forward-bill-law-against-maritime-piracy-national-assembly
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