A patrol boat belonging to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has sunk in Lagos as crew members blamed the agency for ignoring several warnings to save the vessel from the sinking.
The patrol boat named NIMASA Barugu was acquired for NIMASA by Global West Vessels Specialists Nigeria Limited (GWVSNL) in 2012 under a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement.
The NIMASA/GWVSNL maritime security contract was signed in 2012 for the supply and maintenance of patrol boats to secure the nation’s waterways. The contract, which was for an initial period of 10 years, was however truncated after the change of government in 2015.
The sunken boat was consequently seized among 24 others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as part of an investigation into the PPP contract.
In a viral video recording of the sinking, crew members onboard an adjoining boat blamed NIMASA for negligence, saying they had consistently reported the impending disaster to NIMASA since January.
NIMASA spokesman, Osagie Edward, said that although the boat is christened NIMASA Barugu, it had been a subject of litigation while its crew did not report to NIMASA.
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