THE Federal Government has revealed that Nigeria accounts for between 65 per cent and 75 per cent of the crimes that take place on the waters in the Gulf of Guinea.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja, the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi said Nigeria has made progress tackling insecurity from its side in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Minister disclosed that a maritime security project would be launched in Lagos in June by President Muhammadu Buhari. Amaechi said “the crisis in the maritime sector is the maritime insecurity and it’s more complex than the world knows”, adding that the Federal Government had come up with a solution.
He explained that if the security plan involving the Navy, Army and the DSS was successful, “in the near future, there will be an improvement in the maritime security, then other countries in the Gulf of Guinea can adopt it.
“Seventy-five or 65 per cent of crime comes from our waters and if we are able to eliminate it then we will be making a lot of progress” he noted. According to a statement made available to newsmen by Anastasia Ogbonna, the Minister further revealed that “If you are in the air, you will see what is happening on the water.
The helicopter has the capacity to drop in the Naval men when they see anything suspicious”. He expressed readiness
to partner and share information with anyone who wants information for the purpose of securing the Gulf of Guinea.
Earlier, the Belgium Ambassador to Nigeria, Daniel Bertrand officially presented a letter to the Minister requesting
the support of the Nigerian government for the Belgium candidate for the position at the International Maritime Organization.
Bertrand also mentioned that they had observed with keen interest what is happening in the Gulf of Guinea and would like to be of assistance and give support to the implementation of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.