Fresh indications have emerged that the seeming cordial working relationship between the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) may have hit the rocks as the Nigerian Navy have asked its men to withdraw from all the platforms currently being operated by NIMASA.
Investigations carried out on the Lagos waters by Shipping Position Daily correspondent confirmed that naval officials are no longer present on the patrol teams of NIMASA and that the NIMASA crew now works in collaboration with the marine Police.
Fresh indications have emerged that the seeming cordial working relationship between the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) may have hit the rocks as the Nigerian Navy have asked its men to withdraw from all the platforms currently being operated by NIMASA.
Investigations carried out on the Lagos waters by Shipping Position Daily correspondent confirmed that naval officials are no longer present on the patrol teams of NIMASA and that the NIMASA crew now works in collaboration with the marine Police.
Reliable sources who spoke with our correspondent confirmed that the Headquarters of the Navy had withdrawn its men based on the constant clash of interest between the Navy and NIMASA.
A source confirmed that the NIMASA officials on countless times disregard the orders of the Naval Commanding Officer even after seeing the official stamp of the latter.
A security source who also confirmed the withdrawal of naval personnel from NIMASA platforms alleged that, apart from this, the agency is also harassing the crew onboard international oil vessels and its personnel are always demanding to see documents and to test the products carried by the ship. This, he alleged, is affecting the image of Nigeria internationally.
"NIMASA cannot just go on the waters and start harassing Captains of vessels demanding to test petroleum products; that is the work of the DPR and not NIMASA", another source who is a seafarer told our correspondent last week.
"You can imagine a situation where a chandler have got the stamp of the Navy to transfer lube oil and NIMASA disregards the orders of the Commanding Officer, this has been going on like that for some time now, the contract they signed is wrong, NIMASA is supposed to be under the Navy" the source said.
When our correspondent contacted the Information Officer of the Western Naval Command, Lt. Jerry Omodara, he refused to comment on the development saying that he was not in the position to speak.
Similarly, when he was contacted by our correspondent, the Director of Information and spokesperson of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Aliyu Kabir also refused to comment on the issue.
But, the Deputy Director of Public Relations of NIMASA; Hajia Lami Tumaka sent a reply to our correspondent’s telephone in response to series of calls made to her. The message read: "Not true, we are still together and MoU is waxing stronger, sorry was in a meeting".
But, a highly-placed security source told our correspondent also last week that, the directive to Naval personnel in NIMASA was in furtherance of its desire to further assert itself in line with the directive that was given to it by President Goodluck Jonathan recently that it must do all within its mandate to ensure that the nation’s territorial and coastal waters are safe.
“You must have noticed that these days, we hear that the navy has arrested ships and persons in connection with crude oil and petroleum products theft on the high seas and the creeks, when was the last time you heard the same about NIMASA”, he stated.
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