Sea piracy drops 80% on Nigerian waters – NIMASA DG

17 Sep Sea piracy drops 80% on Nigerian waters – NIMASA DG

The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bashir Jamoh, says sea piracy has declined by 80 per cent in Nigeria’s territorial waters.

Jamoh said this in a statement signed by Tunde Olalere, Secretary, Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Thursday.

He spoke when the executive members of the NUJ, led by its Chairman, Adeleye Ajayi, visited the NIMASA headquarters in Lagos, disclosing that

$783 million has been lost to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

He said, “We have recorded a drastic reduction in piracy and this is enough for us to beat our chest that we are ready to return to the category ‘C’ of membership of International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

“However, the year 2021 has witnessed a significant turnaround under my leadership as insecurity on Nigerian waters has reduced by 80 per cent,” he said.

Mr Jamoh said the last time the country had a drop in piracy attack in the nation’s waterways was in 1994, saying that Nigerian waterways was one of the top 10 safest waters in the world.

He noted that this achievement was enough reason to sensitise and inform the international community that the Nigerian waterways were now safer than ever before.

He assured that Nigeria must take its rightful position among the comity of nations globally.

“We want the cost of Insurance Premium paid by Nigerians as a result of insecurity to be reconsidered as insecurity in the country’s waterways has drastically reduced, “Jamoh said.

He lauded the agency for working toward the actualisation of the Blue Economy, bringing to reality the aim and target of the agency to harness to the maximum.

“We have eight coastal states in the country and we want these states to develop their potentials in order to contribute to the country’s revenue,”Jamoh added.