Maritime Crimes are Serious Threat to Nigeria, Says Chief of Naval Staff

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Auwal Zubairu Gambo, has described maritime crimes as a serious threat to the wellbeing of Nigeria as a nation.

Speaking at the opening of the “2021 Chief of Naval Staff Annual Conference” that was held at the Government House, Kano State, yesterday, Gambo expressed worry that criminal activities in Nigeria’s maritime environment were directly targeted at the economic lifeline of the country.

He said that the scourge of illegalities in the maritime sector, such as sea robbery, piracy, crude oil theft, poaching, human and illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs, among others, constituted serious challenges to the development of Nigeria and Africa region at large.

Gambo said: “Characteristi-cally, the maritime threats have become of major concern and are evolving and challenging the combat capability of the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders.”

He noted that the emerging maritime’s security situation called for increased demand for effective collaboration in maritime policing.

“The present situation calls for constant reappraisals, greater collaboration as well as inter-agency cooperation within stakeholders.

“In recent times, some federal and local initiatives were initiated towards ensuring greater productivity of security efforts. These initiatives testify to the political commitment to security and developmental imperatives in our maritime domain.

“In the recent past, a huge capability gap has emerged amongst stakeholders in the efficient discharge of their constitutional mandates. I, therefore, believe that this conference would prove a veritable platform to proffer workable solutions in fine-tuning the Nigerian Navy’s efforts at securing our maritime environment,” Gambo said.

He thanked the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who was the chief host of the conference, for extending hospitality and ensuring the actualisation of the conference.

Ganduje, in his remarks, noted that Nigerian maritime is endowed with numerous living and non-living resources which, if carefully explored and managed, could contribute tremendously to the prosperity, peace and stability of the country and its neighbors.

He said: “Maritime crimes are a hindrance to the ability of Nigeria to effectively explore and manage the resources and opportunities contained therein for its own economic livelihood, prosperity, peace and stability as well as the benefits of neighboring countries and regions.”

The governor also noted that the rising maritime crimes on economic livelihood of the country called for immediate initiation of various collective responses and interventions at national and stakeholders’ levels to tackle.

Ganduje charged the participants to bring their the wealth of experience and expertise in the maritime sector to bear in the deliberations at the conference.