By Corereporters
The convener of the Maritime Security Agency (MASECA), Captain Jacob Ovweghre has applauded President Mohammed Buhari for establishing the Combined Maritime Policing and Security Patrol Committee (CMPSPC), with the President of Equatorial Guinea, President Teodoro Obong Mbosogo on maritime security (CMPSPC)
Captain Jacob Ovweghre made this known when addressing Journalists in Abuja recently.
The CMPSPC between both countries came to limelight on October 6th ,2020 at the Sipopo Conference Center ,Malabo City will be a boost in curbing maritime crimes especially Piracy and sea robbery along their borders. once the inaugural process is complete in Nigeria soonest. This synergy will add strength and goes beyond the Yauonde Code of Conduct ( YCOC) on maritime security.
Ovweghre said that the next step is holistic synergy that Will be more robust in curbing maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea. He added that no doubt the bilateral agreement and synergy with Equatorial Guinea will go a long way to check trans – border crimes between the two countries but point out that for effective and judicious tackling of maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea and Niger Delta region there must be holistic synergy (internal, external and new entrance) introduce into the security architecture.
“The Niger Delta region has become the epicenter of maritime crimes of the Gulf of Guinea so all the maritime security agencies and stakeholders must put all their hands on deck in one security pool and silos to support the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA to combat maritime insecurity,” he said.
He explained that one of the reasons he is convening the dedicated Maritime Security Agency ( MASECA) is to support the Nigerian Navy, NIMASA and other maritime security agencies with credible and reliable intelligence to tackle the unbridled insecurity, illegality and irregularities in Nigeria littoral domain, particularly in the Niger Delta and alarmed at the consequent monumental losses in both lives and the country’ s economy.
He further explained that most countries in Africa like Kenya, Ethiopia are of recently established additional maritime security agencies to increase enforcement in their territorial waters making it difficult for maritime crimes to thrive. This he said is a new trend which Nigeria must embrace to boost her maritime security enforcement to commensurate the new suppression of pirates and other maritime crimes.
Corereporters report that the proposed Maritime Security Agency (MASECA) will be a self-sustaining agency that will generate its funds by blocking some loophole and leakages without discomforting any other agencies and organization in the maritime sub- sector.
For effective and result orienting combating of sea crimes, Ovweghre called on Nigeria Navy and NIMASA to support MASECA bill to ease the winning of the war against maritime crimes as Civilian JTF support the Army in the fight against the insurance in the North East Nigeria.
