Maritime
Navy Wants Special Court To Try Maritime Offenders
The Nigerian Navy has advocated the establishment of special court to try maritime offenders in the country.
The Chief of Naval Staff, (CNS) Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, made the call at a news conference held at the close of the three-day Global Maritime Conference last Wednesday in Abuja.
The conference is part of effort to accelerate adjudication of justice on maritime offenders and curb sea crimes in the maritime industry.
Ibas, who was represented by Chief of Policy and Plans Naval Headquarters, Rear Adm. Begroy Ibe-Enwo, said that the Maritime Domain Awareness has improved security in the nation’s maritime environment.
He suggested that certain courts in the country should be designated as maritime court to handle maritime cases.
On patrol efforts, the CNS said: “two ships are going to join us soon from the fishery department and will be dedicated for anti-fishery operations.”
“ For the patrol efforts, we have a trinity of actions, we are reinforcing by the day, The first leg of that action is surveillance.
“ The sea out there is a wide expanse of water, before we began to improve on our maritime domain awareness, it requires ships and maybe helicopters to sail out to sea to use their radar to see what is going on there.
“ But right now, in Abuja, Lagos, Calabar and other centres, we are able to see what’s going out there.
“But after seeing what we can see, the next is to deploy ships and helicopters to arrest and intercept these suspects.
“ That is one area we are still building on because we don’t have enough ships to dominate the entire waters that we need to police.
“ It is a work in progress, more ships are being bought by the government
“ With some other levels of collaborations even the fishery department is coming on board fully,” he said.
He noted that in Ghana, fishery department and their Navy collaborate very firmly on this to the extent that the fishery department also buys ships and vessels for the Navy to use.
According to him, that’s the model we are also adopting, two ships are going to join us soon from the fishery department and will be dedicated for anti-fishery.
“ The third leg is enforcement, which revolves around the legal regime. Fortunately, the piracy and suppression of criminal activities act is on.
“ It is already a deterrence by itself by the main fact that the criminals or would-be criminals know that there is a legislation that will bring them to book, that is already a check.
“ But those who still want to be die-hard, the law is out there to catch up with them.
“ It is not a new thing when we say to establish maritime courts rather we have recaptured to express it as the designation of certain courts within the country.
“ It will not require any parliamentary legislation; It is just for the Attorney -General and executive arm.
“ It can be executed so that certain courts can be designated for maritime offences, so that these cases can be expeditiously executed,” he said.
The Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base (FOB), Badagry, says its gallant officers have rescued nine women from the hands of suspected human traffickers.
FOB said the suspects have been handed over to the National Agency for prohibition of Human trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) for prosecution.
This was disclosed to newsmen in a statement by the Base Information Officer, Litunent B. Awodeyi, in Lagos.
Awodeyi said the first interception of the women was during a stop and search operation by the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Command in a boat traveling to mile 2 and Panshi Jetty in Lagos State were five women between the ages of 19 and 32 were rescued.
The statement further said four women were also rescued by QRT two days later in a boat along Tongeji Island in Badagry, with the ages of victims ranging from 19 to 24 years.
Awodeyi said the rescued suspects were under investigation in line with the 2016 Harmonised Standard Procedures on arrest.
Although the names of the suspects were not made public by FOB, it insisted that the operation reflects Navy’s dedication to combating human trafficking and ensuring a secure maritime environment in line with the Chief of Naval Staff’s strategic directive 2023 and 2026.
The directive, Awodeyi said, is aimed at promoting safety in Nigeria’s waters and the Gulf of Guinea (GOG).
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), led by its President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, has announced plans to embark on a nationwide strike, if the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) fails to pay nine months of salary arrears owed its employees.
Adeyanju said the affected workers are members of MWUN, and accused CRFFN management of neglecting its financial responsibilities.
MWUN in a statement by its Head of Media, Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the actions of the CRFFN’s Acting Registrar.
The statement noted that MWUN had exhausted all available options for negotiation, including issuing several ultimatums, but that the efforts were ignored by the management of CRFFN.
“The most recent attempt at mediation occurred in Abuja on September 18, 2024, yet no progress was made in resolving the matter”, it said.
The statement criticised CRFFN for disregarding a crucial resolution reached during the mediation meetings.
According to Ikemefuna, one of the resolutions stipulated that when funds become available to the CRFFN, the payment of employees’ salaries should be prioritis ed.
The statement further noted that CRFFN diverted available funds to conduct what it described as a “kangaroo” training programme for select staff members, leaving the issue of unpaid salaries unaddressed.
“This is a clear violation of the agreements reached”, it emphasised.
The Union said CRFFN’s actions have deepened the financial challenges faced by its members, hence MWUN expressed disappointment that, despite their willingness to cooperate with the CRFFN management, the regulatory body has continued to act in a manner that undermines the rights and welfare of its members.
The workers union, therefore, insisted that it would no longer tolerate the perceived impunity of the CRFFN and declared that if the outstanding nine months salary arrears are not paid, it would have no choice but to initiate a total withdrawal of its members from services.
“This action would impact key sectors of Nigeria’s maritime industry, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, dock labour, shipping and freight forwarding agencies, as well as seamen working across all ports, jetties, terminals, and oil and gas platforms”, Ikemefuna stated.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Command, has thwarted a smuggling attempt of N1.1billion illicit drugs in four containers at Apapa Port.
The four seized containers were filled with narcotics valued at N1,183,915,500.
The Command’s Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, disclosed this to newsmen through its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abubakar Usman.
The seizure involved 236,783 bottles of cough syrups containing codeine and Barcadin, packed in a total of 2,174 cartons from two terminals under the command’s jurisdiction.
Three other seizures were made at APM Terminals, while one was intercepted at Kachicares Bonded Terminal.
Comptroller Olomu explained that, “On October 11, 2024, during a joint inspection of a 1×40 container, number MRKU0377493, our officers discovered prohibited CSP cough syrup—34,800 bottles packed into 174 cartons, each containing 200 bottles.
“The shipment was expired at the time of interception”.
The statement said on the same day, another 1×40 container, number TGBU8886020, was found with 39,700 bottles of DSP cough syrup, packed in cartons containing 100 bottles each.
Additionally, a third container (TCKU6800526) examined on October 15, 2024, at APMT Terminal, labelled as containing essential goods, revealed 19 cartons of concealed CSJ cough syrup for throat and chest with codeine, packed in 200 bottles per carton.
Another major seizure was recorded on October 15, 2024, at Kachicares Resources Terminal: A 1×40FT container, number SUDU8579006, declared as containing kitchen wares, was found with a concealed stash of Barcadin cough syrup in 1,584 cartons, along with 83 loose bottles.
Comptroller Olomu described the seizures as part of the NCS’ zero-tolerance policy toward smuggling.
Apapa Command, he said, “is committed to efficient trade facilitation while maintaining strict controls on revenue collection and anti-smuggling activities.
”I urge those engaged in illegal trade to avoid Apapa Port. Our vigilant officers, using intelligence, technology, and experience, are poised to detect and intercept any smuggling attempts”.
He insisted that Codeine abuse has been linked to severe side effects, including drowsiness, confusion, and increased susceptibility to criminal behaviors.
“The Nigerian government banned the importation of codeine-containing cough syrups in 2018 after widespread misuse among youth”, he noted.
The Comptroller said further investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the individuals behind the smuggling attempts.
