Judicial Sabotage Bane of Marine Criminals’ Prosecution-NIMASA

Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), needs urgent intervention of the judiciary to convict marine criminals, Ziakede Akpobolokemi, director General of the Agency said.

Akpobolokemi in an address to judicial and legal officers while declaring open the fifth Strategic Admiralty Seminar for Judges, organised by the Agency in Lagos stressed the need for judges’ timely prosecution of persons involved in illegal activities in the nation’s territorial waters.

He pointed out that though his organization had made several arrests of persons involved in illegal bunkering, oil theft and piracy-related activities, the agency was indeed yet to ensure proper prosecution let alone a conviction as a result of the inherent challenges in the system; noting that “very little result had been recorded” in prosecution.

The NIMASA Boss, therefore, called on the judiciary and other legal officers to assist the Agency in its relentless fight against maritime crimes, adding that the agency had also initiated effective collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies to curb crimes at sea.

Highlighting the agencies gains could only become tangible when the judiciary plays its part effectively, he noted that the NIMASA was however making waves in the area of human capacity development, especially through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), which is expected to outlive the present management of the Agency.

“We have embarked on a conscious effort to develop manpower for the Nigerian maritime sector with the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme”, he explained, adding that the agency had also received approval from the Federal Executive Council to establish maritime institutes in four Nigerian universities, namely: the University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State; and Niger Delta University Amasomma, Bayelsa State, in addition to on-going plans for the establishment of a Nigerian Maritime University.

He pledged the Agency’s commitment to continuously fund the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, noting that partnership with the institution would be strengthened.

A statement by Isichei Osamgbi, deputy director and head, Public Relations, explained that the Strategic Admiralty Seminar was an initiative of the Agency, organized as an annual programme meant to bring together, Justices of the Appeal Court, High Courts and lawyers to brainstorm on contemporary issues in Admiralty law and practice.