Seafarers Lament Victimization by FG, Seeks Collaboration with Navy

By ZION Olalekan

Nigerian seafarers under the aegis of Concerned Seafarers Forum have lamented that in Nigeria, seafarers, rather than identified pirates are being detained in prison and victimized.

Convener of the forum, Captain Segun Akanbi told Nigeriamaritime360.com that the general public is now reading reports of a spike in maritime piracy, but lamented that piracy and armed robbery is an everyday occurrence at sea.

According to him, the Nigerian Navy is still dwelling on the archaic method of tackling piracy while the pirates have now mastered the techniques of the security agencies and how to beat them in their game.

He stressed the need for Nigerian Navy to be in constant consultation with the seafarers whom he described as landlords of the sea in order to successfully stem the tide of piracy.

Nigeriamaritime360.com recalls that the Merchant Navy Directorate in Nigeria has raised an alarm that not less than 200 seafarers are currently languishing in detention at the Ikoyi Prison and other prisons scattered around the country for various offenses which they know nothing about.

Capt. Akanbi lamented, “To the general public it appears like there is a spike in Piracy, but in reality, the situation had been so bad for a long time. It is just that seafarers are beginning to report attacks and media is beginning to pay attention to maritime situation.

“The pirates have weighed our techniques of fighting piracy and they have arrived at a reasonable conclusion that our coast is very porous.

“We still dwell in the archaic method of tackling piracy. If we don’t review our strategies, the situation will continue to get worse.

“I asked a question sometime… how many pirates have been paraded in the last many years? All you will see is suspected seafarers being paraded, Are seafarers the pirates?” Capt Akanbi wondered.

He observed that none of the Presidential aspirants in the upcoming general elections is talking about the condition of Nigeria Maritime domain.

Continuing, he said “I am wondering how they intend to have a robust economy with the deadly state of our coast.

“At sea the merchant seafarers are the Landlord, the Navy are like Mai guard, while the pirates are the thieves. No matter how smart a Mai guard could be, he still needs some guidelines from the residents. When the defence authorities are ready for our support we will be ready to assist”, he said.

Meanwhile the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside recently assured that the Anti-Piracy Bill which seeks to criminalize and prosecute pirates’ activities is already before the National Assembly and it will be passed before May 2019.

One only hopes that all organs responsible for the passage shall act without delay and make the blue economy a safe haven.