Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh has assured the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba of continous support and partnership in the fight against maritime insecurity in Nigeria. 

Jamoh said this at a meeting with the Police boss in Abuja on Wednesday, where he promised to extend the ongoing collaboration NIMASA already has with other Security Agencies under the deep blue project to the marine unit of the Police in areas of capacity building and provision of patrol support.

Both parties applauded the reduction in pirate attacks in the blue waters. A fact which has also been confirmed by some notable international bodies, like the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Maritime Bureau (IMB). 

They also identified the need for enhanced policing of the nation's brown waters.

“NIMASA is seeking close integration and collaboration of the Nigerian Marine Police into our recently launched waterways security architecture, Deep Blue Project, to achieve an all-encompassing outcome.

"It stretches from the blue waters where we already have the Nigerian Navy’s presence to the brown waters near the anchorage areas where the Nigerian Police statutorily have a role to stem the tide of insecurity and checkmate criminal activities against berthing ships and seafarers,” Jamoh said.

He also urged all parties to maximize the use of technology in monitoring the waters. He commended the ongoing integration of NIMASA's Command, Control Computer Communication and Information System (C4i), located at the NIMASA Resource Center in Kirikiri with the Falcon Eye of Nigerian Navy and Nigeria Police’s i247 for easy co-ordination and intelligence sharing.

He said the Nigeria Police is a strategic partner whose operation and support are essential for sustaining and improving on the gains already recorded in the anti-piracy drive and safety of small crafts. 

He also stated that the Police Force is critical in helping to prosecute suspects arrested under the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) law.

The IGP commended NIMASA's efforts under its present management and reiterated the resolve of the Force to fight crimes all over the Country, including in the territorial waters. He said the Marine Police is an important arm of the Force, considering the importance of the waters to the economic and social well-being of the Country. Other Senior Police officers were also present at the event.

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