As part of efforts to fight oil theft in the nation, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has given assurances that two special mission aircrafts of the Deep Blue Project fleet of the agency will be deployed to combat oil theft and protect the nation’s economy.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh revealed this while speaking at the 16th edition of Maritime Seminar for Judges organized by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), even as he described oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal refining as unlawful activities capable of threatening the economic and environmental well-being of the country.
He said the aircrafts from the mobile assets of the deep blue project, will support existing platforms being deployed by other security agencies, which NIMASA has subsisting Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with.
Jamoh explained that the aircrafts would assist in patrolling oil facilities, installations and other assets to observe suspicious human and vessel movements in and around the facilities
The NIMASA Director General while restating the agency’s commitment to a crime free and secure maritime domain, reminded participants at the seminar of President Muhammadu Buhari’s interest in rebuilding stakeholders and investors’ confidence in the country’s maritime sector.
According to him, the approval of the President for procurement of the assets and his visit to commission them in Lagos for their deployment for security, have contributed immensely to the fight against maritime crimes.
His words: “The oil industry is critical to our national economy and no space in this sector should be left for criminals to occupy or operate. We have recorded gains in our maritime security efforts and more needs to be done to sustain and consolidate on these gains.
“Our collaborations with security agencies which we have MoUs with is, among other reasons, to collaborate and work ahead of criminal elements. I am happy to state that our synergies have been beneficial to the country in many ways.”