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By Amos Odeh, Yenagoa
The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command, Yenagoa Rear Adm. Obinwanne Egbuchulam, said efforts of the Nigerian Navy, has reduced criminality in the maritime domain.
He stated this on Thursday, during the 7th annual public lecture of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel, (FCC) Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa Council, at conference Hall of Matho Crystal Hotel Imiringi road, Yenagoa.
Port Harcourt Mundial reports that the theme of this year’s lecture is ‘Maritime Security: Implications for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry.’
The FOC, who was also the guest lecturer, said in order to ensure that trade and commerce take place within the maritime environment and by extension the Gulf of Guinea unhindered, all forms of criminality must be dealt with.
Represented by the commander NNS Soroh, Commodore Patrick Effah, dwelt on the implications of maritime insecurity and the form which it takes, illegal bunkering, with piracy and sea robbery as top of the list.
“The Nigerian Navy has been wonderful. They have been out there performing her duty, in checkmating maritime illegality.
“One thing illegality does, it undermines revenue generation for the country, ships wouldn’t come into our water readily, when they do premium that is paid in terms of insurance is high.”
He said that in a bid to ensure that the nation’s waters are not made a hub of piracy, “the Nigerian Navy, has done a lot, has made tremendous efforts and the incidence of piracy and sea robbery has drastically reduced.”
The FOC said that piracy and sea robbery were high as at 2010 to 2012, but with the acquisition of war ships and helicopters, their work had been made easier to tackle criminal activities within the waterways.
Chairman of the occasion, King Bubaraye Dakolo, noted that maritime security is a serious issue that needs to be tackled very serious in all spheres in the Niger Delta region.
He said security is a serious business and should not be left for the security agencies alone but that all hands must be on deck for it to be actualized.
In their goodwill message, chairman of FCC, Mr Chris Eze, and the former chairman, now director general of New Media to the governor, Mr Kola Oredipe, said the annual lecture series has been meeting its desired expectations.
They commended the sponsors of the lecture series and the committee that put the programme in place, as well as those that graced the event.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Ayiba Duba, commended the Federated Correspondent’s Chapel, for putting up such a unique topic that concerns the state and the region for discussion.
In his part, Mr Morris Alagoa, head of Environmental Right Action, said because of kidnapping and other vices, people don’t move freely in the waterways anymore, unlike before.
