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Pirates Attack Foreign Vessel On Nigerian Waters As NIMASA Kicks

Following the attack suffered by a tanker vessel named, ‘Nave Constellation’, on Tuesday by pirates, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has given an assurance that the agency will fast track maritime security on Nigerian waterways.

The pirates had on Tuesday attacked and kidnapped 19 crew members from the crude oil tanker off Nigeria in an area where acts of piracy are on the rise.

The loaded vessel was attacked 77 nautical miles off Bonny Island and 18 Indians and one Turkish citizens from the crew were seized.

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Seven other crew members remained on board the vessel. Neither the vessel nor the cargo were damaged, some reports had said.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, who stated this on Thursday, on the sidelines of the ongoing National Transportation Summit organised by the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA), noted that the agency is working with relevant partners to ensure the crew onboard are secured and safe.

In a statement dated December 5, 2019 and issued by Head of Corporate Communications of NIMASA, Isichei Osamgbi, Dakuku said the operators of the vessel made contact with the agency and the Nigerian Navy and they immediately went to work.

He noted that the vessel owners had operated for ten days within the country’s territorial waters, yet they did not establish contact with the Harbour Masters.

The NIMASA boss also added that the vessel did not establish contact with the authorities in Nigeria, “However, that isn’t an issue because life is more precious than any other consideration. We have also immediately contacted the naval unit around that area and they have gone to work. The Navy has established contact with the remaining crew members onboard the vessel and the nine persons onboard the vessel are safe and the vessel is safe”.

The DG who, lamented that this is happening at a time efforts are being put together to make Nigerian waterways safe gave the assurance that the agency will not rest on its oars. “I think this would ultimately serve as catalyst for us to fast-track what we are doing to safeguard our waterways so that commerce can thrive again and people can do economic activities without fear or hindrance”.

While sympathizing with the victims and their families for the ordeal and challenges of being kidnapped, he urged every concerned citizen and stakeholders to come together and work with NIMASA and relevant security agencies to end the menace.

Recall that Nigeria recently hosted a Global Maritime Security Conference (GMSC) where several engagement with stakeholders from all over the world, on the global maritime scale towards enhancing collaboration among maritime nations in order to find lasting solution to the security issues on the Gulf of Guinea and on the entire West and Central Africa.

Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of NigeriaCIoTAdakuku petersideGlobal Maritime Security ConferenceHarbour MastersIsichei OsamgbiNIMASA
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