Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has said security operatives are cutting down attacks in Nigerian waters.
He stated this on Wednesday when he received a special mission aircraft in Lagos for the Deep Blue project designed to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea.
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Jamoh, who was in the company of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had earlier inspected three special mission helicopters at the Naval Base, Apapa, under the project billed for launch on May 21.
Addressing journalists at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, to mark the arrival of the aircraft, Jamoh said the assets would further improve security in Nigerian waters.
The Director-General revealed a drastic reduction in the rate of attacks in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“There has been a drastic decrease in the rate of security breaches in our waters in recent times. This is a clear indication that we are getting it right with the Deep Blue Project.
“The figures we are getting from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) are encouraging. We ultimately aim to completely eradicate security hindrances to shipping and business generally in the Nigerian maritime domain.”
IMB, a specialised division of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), is the global focal point in the fight against maritime crimes and malpractices. Its latest quarterly report of piracy and armed robbery against ships recorded only two incidents in Nigerian waters between January and March this year, compared to 11 attacks within the same period last year.
“These figures are a proof that we can make our waters safe and secure, and we are determined to do so,” Jamoh stated. “Today, we are here to receive the final phase of assets under the Deep Blue Project to further boost our capacity to secure our waters up to the Gulf of Guinea,” he added.
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