Few days after the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported an increase in piracy and maritime crimes on Lagos waters, the Nigerian Institute of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (NIMENA) and the Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (MNOWTSSA) have upheld the result of the international body.
In a separate interview with Shipping Position Daily last week in Lagos, the two bodies admitted that there has been an upsurge of piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea in the last two years, even as they lauded the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the recently concluded Global Maritime Security Conference (GMSC) held in Abuja recently.
The President of NIMENA, Engineer Henry Unuigbe, said although he was yet to see details of the report, but was not surprised the Lagos is rated number one.
He told our correspondent that: “I cannot dispute that they have their facts and generally there is an escalation of piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea. So if they say Lagos is number one, although I have not seen that report, I would not be surprised. Because in the past two months, I have heard cases of piracy attacks, so I am not surprised”
“That underscores why I believe NIMASA championed the GSMC they had in Abuja. You cannot isolate Lagos from the Gulf of Guinea; the state is part of the Gulf of Guinea”
He maintained that NIMASA has existing measures to fight piracy even as he doubted the efficiency of the measures.
“Well, I cannot really say why there is that escalation of piracy attack, but then I know that there are existing measures that the Nigerian government through NIMASA and Navy. They have existing measures to confront piracy attacks but how effective that measure is another issue entirely. So for me I do not doubt that report”, he said.
Meanwhile, the president of Merchant Navy officers, Engineer Matthew Alalade, said that the increase in piracy attacks is one of the reasons the summit by NIMASA was important.
“Well they (IMB) have their own records and with this summit on maritime security let's be watching reactions now. We are going to give time to the security agencies on our waters. If IMB had made their own observations, they have to give us time because I believe what we have done in Abuja piracy will reduce to the nearest minimum”
“So, let's watch and see from the next eight months before we can judge or say anything concerning it” he concluded.
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