The Director General of Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) Engr Nnadi Ogbuagu has called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to conduct a high powered investigation into the activities of Nigerian-flagged vessel, MV CHARIS, which was attacked by unknown assailants and detained in Equatorial Guinea.
The vessel was arrested in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on suspicion of involvement in piracy activities.
The controversial vessel was released last week following interventions from NIMASA and Nigerian Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, Ambassador Toko Ali Gongulong after it was established that the vessel was actually on its way to execute a vessel recovery contract in Equatorial Guinea’s territorial waters, when it was attacked by unknown armed assailants on Sunday, May 5, 2019.
The NISA DG, Engr Ogbuagu has however urged NIMASA to detain the crew of the vessel with a view of unearthing exactly what transpired in a holistic manner.
He alleged that tug boat violated relevant sections of the Cabotage Act by sailing outside the Cabotage area of Nigeria's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for an operation not designated as emergency rescue.
The NISA Chieftain said, "In the real spirit and intent of Cabotage, the vessel and its entire crew should by now be under the custody of NIMASA. That is to say, NIMASA ought to impound the tug boat for violation of the relevant sections of the Cabotage Act that prohibits Cabotage registered vessels from operating above Nigeria's EEZ".
"The truth of the matter is that NIMASA has not got the wherewithal to carry out its mandates and it's always expecting accolade when it's not deserving of any", he lampooned.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that, there had been media reports last week claiming that Nigerian crewmen were arrested in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on suspicion of involvement in piracy activities.
The President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, had also gone on air, to announce that 10 sea pirates of Nigerian origin were arrested with regard to an attack on a vessel, MV BLUE MARLIN.
Meanwhile, the NIMASA had explained last week that the MV CHARIS is a tugboat, which was on its way to execute a vessel recovery contract in Equatorial Guinean territorial waters, when it was attacked by unknown armed assailants on Sunday, May 5, 2019.
The vessel was commandeered by the attackers and used to attack the much larger Maltese-flagged vessel, MV BLUE MARLIN, around the same area of the initial attack. However, in the latter case, the Captain of MV BLUE MARLIN was able to send a distress call, which was responded to by a Spanish Navy vessel.
It was the intervention of the Spanish Navy that stopped the attack, as the attackers took to their heels at the approach of the naval ship. The fate of some of the assailants is still undetermined.
Both MV BLUE MARLIN and the MV CHARIS were subsequently handed over to the Equatorial Guinea Navy by the Spanish Navy, as the incident was clearly in their jurisdiction.
On the strength of the allegations, Ogbuagu, who is also a former Executive Director at NIMASA said: "For all I know, that Tug boat MT CHARIS might have undertaken hijack attempt that went bad, wrong and what have you. Only a thorough investigation by crack mariners who understand marine investigations in the real sense can unravel the true nature, intent and situation of things".
"All the crew members should be in close quarter, detained while the investigations last", he submitted.
He said that NIMASA does not deserve any special commendation for securing release of MT CHARIS because the agency was doing its statutory job.
The commendation will however come when NIMASA is able to properly investigate and make public its findings in the correct and appropriate format copy of which shall be forwarded to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), he added.
"It is not yet Uhuru, and for now, we cannot swallow hook, line and sinker all the stories of the vessel, MT CHARIS, her owners and crew. All their movements, fuel consumption, chart works, interview of all crew members and owners must be carried out by NIMASA in its entirety to determine intent, culpability or otherwise. For all we don't know, there might have been hijack attempt. We can't sweep that under the carpet until proper investigation is done", he said.
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