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Three days after nineteen crew members of a tanker vessel were kidnapped by pirates off Bonny Island, Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced its readiness to fast-track maritime security architecture.
According to Dryad Global Report, the attack occurred while the vessel was sailing around 100 nautical miles off Bonny Island, Nigeria on December 3, 2019.
18 of the taken crew are believed to be of Indian nationality and one of Turkish origin.
According to the report, seven crew members are still on board the tanker, listed as part of Navios Tankers Management’s fleet.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside explained that the Agency is working with relevant partners to ensure the crew onboard are secured and safe.
The DG who spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing National Transportation Summit organised by the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA), said: “The operators of the vessel made contact with NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy and we immediately went to work”.
He noted that the vessel owners had operated for ten days within our territorial waters “yet didn’t establish contact with the Harbour Masters”.
A statement issued by Isichei Osamgbi,Head, Corporate Communications, NIMASA, quoted the DG as saying: “However, that isn’t an issue because life is more precious than any other consideration. We have also immediately contacted the naval unit around that area and they have gone to work. The Navy has established contact with the remaining crew members onboard the vessel and the nine persons onboard the vessel are safe and the vessel is safe”.
The DG who lamented that this is happening at a time that efforts are being put together to make Nigerian waterways safe gave the assurance that the Agency will not rest on its oars.
“I think this would ultimately serve as catalyst for us to fast-track what we are doing to safeguard our waterways so that commerce can thrive again and people can do economic activities without fear or hindrance”.
While sympathizing with the victims and their families for the ordeal and challenges of being kidnapped, he urged every concerned citizen and stakeholders to come together and work with NIMASA and relevant security Agencies to end the menace
