About 104 trainees have graduated from Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Deep Blue Task Group training on maritime security.
The graduands were trained and drilled in military skill to tackle insecurity and piracy in the Nigerian waterways.
Speaking at the passing out held at 343 Artillery Regiment, Elele in Rivers State, the Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, said Nigeria government is very much concerned about the institution that quaranteed the safety of its citizens and those doing business in the maritime domain.
Sambo said the graduands were trained to secure Nigerian waterways and the maritime domain against insecurity and sea pirates.
“We are very much concern about the institution that guaranteed our safety. While the rest of us are sleeping and snoring there are certain Nigerians that are looking after our safety. The money spent on this project is worth every dime. My main concern is that they will be out to sustain this project and to make sure that is sustained,” he said.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Lucky Irabor, said huge successes have been recorded since the Defence office launched an onslaught against oil theft and sea piracy.
He said about 300 naval personnel were trained in the Deep Blue Task Group and tasked the graduands to be serious with their responsibility of securing the waterways against pirates.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, said Nigeria is working hard to remove war risk insurance imposed on the country.
Bashir Yusuf Jamoh said that it took Kenya 25 years to be delisted from the war risk insurance saying that Nigeria was just one year in the list.
He said that he is presently talking with the officials of Lyolds of London to see how the war risk insurance will be removed saying that the discussion is gaining ground.
“In September I made mention that I heard meeting with the officials of Lyolds of London and they asked us to put our case before them. so that the council meeting will be able to discuss it. I hope to be in UK next week and I will follow it up to see that the outcome of that meeting is successful. So their main concern is the sustainability of what they are looking at.
“According to them Kanya spent 25 years on the list so we cannot come and say one year , we are sure of what we are doing and we are going to convince them that the issue of insecurity is being addressed and that the Deep Blue Project has come to stay and we will do our possible best to build the institution and once you build the institution the issue of sustainability is quaranteed. So I assure you very soon Nigeria will hear very good news about the war risk insurance,” he said.
The Commander of Deep Blue Task Group, Navy Commodore Victor Choji , said that the security outfit was conceptualized to provide security and tackle insecurity in the waterways.
He said that the insecurity bedeviling the economic activities in the maritime domain is being addressed by the collaborative efforts of security agencies in the country.
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