Senate Proposes Special Tribunal To Handle Maritime Crimes

The Senate Committee on Nigerian Navy said it is proposing a special tribunal to handle cases of any arrested vessels, its crew and other alleged maritime crimes.
The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Isah Maisau, made the proposal  on Tuesday during oversight visit to the Western Naval Command (WNC) and Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), in preparation for the 2017 budget.
Maisau was reacting to the reports by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), WNC, Rear Adm. Ferguson Bobai, who lamented that harbouring arrested vessels and catering for their crew was tasking the navy.
“We are looking at a situation where all these cases of arrested vessels are taken care of within three months.
‘’ We shall have a special tribunal to handle cases of arrested vessels so that within three months, all the exhibits are handed over to the appropriate agencies and prosecution is concluded.
At the end of the day, we will put a legislation whereby such vessels are forfeited to the Federal Government to deter the sponsors of maritime crimes.
“If you auction them, they will go behind and buy them and continue the illegality.
‘’But if you put them to government use, it will deter people from venturing into criminality, given the fact that they will forfeit their vessels to the government”.
On the oversight visit and the expected outcome, he said the navy should expect so much.
“We are preparing for the 2017 budget and we are expecting the President to lay the budget on Senate on Wednesday or Thursday next week.
‘’That is why we came out for oversight function, so that we can see where we can assist the Navy during the 2017 budget.
‘’The Navy needs so much than the government is approving in the budget”, he acknowledged
He added that, “about 75 to 80 per cent of the resources coming to government coffers lie within the maritime domain and the navy is in charge of protecting the facilities.
‘’With the kind of budget we are approving, the navy cannot perform its function effectively.
‘’We are trying to see how we can make a special presentation and appeal to the president, ‘’he said.
“This will also be in collaboration with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Finance Minister and Budget office to get intervention from other sources for the navy.
He expressed the commitment of the committee to ensure that the Navy had enough funds to perform its duties.
‘’If the resources are availed to the Navy, the activities of militants in the Niger Delta will reduce,” he said.
On Nigeria Navy Ship Aradu, he said the nation could not allow it to go under because it was a symbol of strength.
He added that only three of its class have been produced globally, with Nigeria having only one.
“The history of the navy is not complete without the mention of Aradu.
‘’We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but there is no country that will confront you if you have this kind of platform.
‘’I think we need to salvage Aradu. We are going to do as much as possible to achieve that.
“We are even proposing a legislation to enable the military get direct allocation (some percentage) from the Federal Government, so that it can work effectively.
‘’Only budgetary allocation of about N25billion cannot do anything for a capital intensive agency like the Navy.
The FOC West, Rear Adm. Bobai, while receiving the committee, said that the Navy command needed funds for the Forward Operating Bases (FOB) Takwa Bay and Tongeji Island.
He also mentioned training of personnel, more barracks and financial support for the Navy for the repairs of its platforms.
He also requested for funds for more patrol boats, as well as construction of more indigenous boats, like the NNS Andoni.
On the arrested vessels, he said they were burden to the Navy because there was no budgetary provision to cater for such vessels ship and their crew members.
The FOC NAVTRAC, Rear Adm. Ifeola Mohammed, who also received the committee members, said the command was the heartbeat of training in the navy.
He, however, noted the command had challenges which include dearth of instructors and manpower in navy professional schools and more training aids and models in most of the navy professional colleges and schools.