The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has assured of deploying actions with regards to 15 kidnapped seafarers of Turkish origin.
Jamoh disclosed this when he paid a visit to the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Melih Ulueren, in Abuja to discuss issues relating to the kidnapping of 15 Turkish seafarers onboard a Liberian flagged vessel outside the Nigerian waters.
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According to a statement, Jamoh said the Nigerian government is doing everything possible to ensure that these sea pirates are identified and their nationality known since the incident happened outside Nigerian territorial waters.
He also said the minister of transportation has approved the deployment of two special mission vessels under the Deep Blue project to immediately move towards the area of the kidnapped victims to support the rescue mission.
The Ambassador passionately appealed to the Nigerian government and NIMASA to ensure the speedy rescue of seafarers.
He said they were recently kidnapped onboard MV MOZART in the Gulf of Guinea just as he inquired if there was any support NIMASA would need from the Turkish Government and what NIMASA is doing about the spate of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea.
Ulueren thanked the DG and his team for honouring his invitation and reassuring the Turkish Government on the rescue efforts by NIMASA and the Nigerian Government as a whole to ensure the safe return of the Turkish citizens.
