The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is set to partner with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in its effort to effectively combat activities of pirates on the nation’s waterway.
Director-General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, who disclosed the intention of the agency in Lagos over the weekend, noted that the collaboration became necessary following the agency’s frustration in seeing persons arrested by them move about freely after a couple of weeks.
Akpobolokemi explained that people caught with guns and other items used in various crimes by the agency were handed over to other security operatives for persecution but were either set free for lack of evidence or for compromise.
He said that NIMASA decided to partner with NSCDC because it also has the power of persecution.
He expressed hope that the Corps would help in this regard because he would love to see some of the persons caught by officials of NIMASA persecuted and sent to jail during his time as helmsman of the apex maritime agency.
Commandant-General of NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, assured the NIMASA boss that they will work closely for the benefit of the nation’s economy. Abolurin noted that both bodies are working to achieve the same goal.
He pointed out that oil theft poses a huge problem to the nation’s economy and that it is not only being carried out on the high sea but also along the small rivers across the nation.
He cited as example the case of vandalisation at Arepo, Ikorodu and others, stressing the need for effective policing of the nation to curb these incidents.
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