The Federal Government may have begun a new initiative designed to curb piracy and other forms of violent attacks on ships and crew, and provide an enduring sanity on the nation's waters.The initiative, which would also bring significant improvements to the country's Search and Rescue (SAR) functions is anchored on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), according to industry watchers. It would involve a closer collaboration between the NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy on one hand, and the agency, the navy and other relevant neighbouring and foreign parties on the other.The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the collaboration which was designed to extensively enhance NIMASA's outreach would ensure that Nigeria easily mobilises and pursues criminals perpetuating violence against ships on Nigerian waters, and beyond it when fleeing pirates run into neighbouring territorial waters.Already, the governments of Nigeria and Benin Republic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) consequent upon which the two governments last week launched a joint patrol to be led by Navy Commodore Muftau Bola Ajibade in the Seme and Cotonou territorial waters of Benin Republic to curb the increasing activities of pirates and other sea criminals. The development, it was learnt, drew strength from Presidents Boni Yayi and Goodluck Jonathan's meeting in Abuja two months ago.In his comment during the event code named 'Operation Prosperity', the Director-General of NIMASA, Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi noted that the bilateral cooperation which was the first of its kind in the West African sub-region was totally in line with the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) Coastguard Function Network Initiative (CFNI).The Director-General, who was represented by one of his directors, Ishaka Rabiu, also expressed his belief that while the task of 'eliminating maritime threat is basically the duty of governments of the respective countries', the most effective approach towards ensuring total security in the maritime industry would, no doubt, be best achieved through genuine cooperation between private and public sectors working together to create an integrated strategy, especially a strategy which would also align regional cooperation among the nations of the sub-region.Agreeing with him, at a ceremony witnessed by the Charge d' Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Benin, Toyin Solaja, and the Defence Attache in the Nigerian Embassy Cotonou, Colonel AMS Anyalechi, the Chief of Naval Staff of the Republic of Benin, Captain Hounsou Gbessmehlan commended Federal Government's determination and initiatives to fight piracy in Seme and Cotonou areas.It was learnt that the agency embarked on the present frontal attack measures having realised that many of the pirates were no longer carrying just the traditional long knives and small guns, but had in fact graduated to carrying rocket propelled grenades.But the most scary part was perhaps the revelation that pirates in their latest mode of operation which aims at ship jacking (ie. taking the ship and crew hostage) now employs small but faster crafts to first hijack fishing vessels because it has fuel longer range, and subsequently deploys the fishing trawlers in the assault on mother ships.'They first use the fast moving small crafts to subdue a fishing vessel. Thereafter, they put their fast craft on the fishing boat, sail towards mother vessel that has come to lift crude, launch the small craft, attack the mother vessel, tie up the crew, in which case the ship jacking has now come up. And then over several days, they get smaller vessels to siphon the oil out of the mother vessel, and once they have exhausted the crude oil or product, they let go the crew with the ship, and begin an effort towards finding buyers for the stolen cargo', disclosed a reliable source, speaking on condition of anonymity.Confirming the statement, an agency staff, Capt Waredi Enisuoh, however, praised the determination of the agency boss, Akpobolokemi, stressing that the Director-General was leaving no stones unturned in a bid to outwit the pirates.'It is true, and this is what we have started to do. We have improved on our partnership with the navy, and this partnership is working very well. I am happy to let you know that even the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has commended Nigeria, for taking this approach.'So, we now have patrols at sea, covering the sea with a private company which has provided very fast platforms. So, we intercept them, investigate them and take necessary actions. It is an ongoing thing and that is why the piracy rate in Lagos harbour has dropped drastically; it is because of this partnership we have in place fast craft, military and civilian partnership with NIMASA.'It has worked effectively and the Kenyans are already thinking of copying it. In fact, people are buying seriously into the idea. And the IMO is very proud of Nigerian initiative in this regards.'The agency has also come up with more ways of dealing with the problem. We recognise that every oil that comes from any oil well has its own DNA. So, because the oil that comes from each oil well is different from the one that comes from another, we have also asked the Americans too to help us to ensure that before they procure oil from any buyer, they should first confirm the DNA certificate of each oil supply from the suppliers. There should usually be a certificate of signature and this must tally with the Bill of Laden that the oil is from a genuine supplier.'By the time this measure is fully keyed into, you may no longer be able to sell oil or any refined products in the country or outside, without an authenticating paper. The idea here is to be able to also go after both the buyers and the suppliers too. We believe the most effective way to curb the menace is to go after both the buyer and the suppliers.It would be recalled that before this present initiative, there have been no fewer than 124 reported incidences of distress alerts, some of which were false alerts in respect of piracy or armed robbery attacks on ships on the Nigerian waters between March1, 2011 and September 2011, ranging from the attacks on the Safina 11, some 16 nautical miles from the Fairway Buoy, and Tug Zarranda of March 4, to that of September 10 at Forcados, during which an ORC fishing vessel was attacked.In the meantime, there were strong indications that government's efforts may have also begun to yield abiding fruits in the area of search and rescue (SAR) of vessels and crew in distressed conditions, especially with the most recent incident being the MT Jacksonville which was engulfed by fire after an explosion from its engine room. Available records showed that though five persons were reportedly lost, out of which four bodies were immediately recovered, the timely intervention of the country led to the successful rescuing of 10 helpless sea farers, four by GR Costa and six by the NIMASA's SAR boats making a total to 10, all of whom were taken to hospital for required treatment.Similarly, two men who went to deliver consumables to a vessel, five nautical miles before the Fairway Buoy, only about 24 hours earlier, would have perished but for the agency's intervention. A freight forwarder, however, lamented that most Nigerians were ignorant of the right numbers to call for marine rescue in times of emergency and stressed the need for every Nigerian to memorise the telephone numbers 01-7306618, and 08030685167, noting that it was for this reason that a politician and chieftain from the PDP in Lagos State drowned recently.In a reaction, the agency image maker and spokeswoman, Hajia Lami Tumaka however, maintained that issues of sufficient enlightenment were ongoing, pointing out that the agency had actually participated in this rescue from death of no fewer than 362 persons between 2009 till date..
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