Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The Suppression of Piracy and
Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act, 2019 has prescribed jail terms of between
15 years and life, and fines from N50 million to N500 million for individuals
and corporate organisations convicted for maritime offences.
The enactment of the anti-piracy law is
a part of efforts by the Federal Government to stem criminality on Nigerian
waters.
 |
| L-R: Director-General, Nigeria Institute of Advanced Studies, Prof. Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan; DG, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside; Representative of the Chief Naval Staff, Real Admiral Murtala Mormoni Bashir; Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, NIMASA, Mr Gambo Ahmed and Executive Director, Finance and Administration, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh during the Opening Ceremony of the 9th Strategic Admiralty Law Seminar for Judges by NIMASA held in Lagos, February 19, 2020 |
This was
revealed in Lagos at the annual Strategic Admiralty Law Seminar for Judges put
together by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) and the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The theme of
the conference was, “Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO)
Act, 2019: Key to Accelerating and Achieving Safe and Secure Shipping in
Nigeria.” it was meant to sensitise judicial sector actors on the import of the
antipiracy law.
Speaking
at the opening ceremony, the Directors-General of NIMASA and NIALS, Dr. Dakuku
Peterside and Professor Mohammed Tawfiq Ladan, respectively, emphasised the
need for unencumbered implementation of the law. They called for cooperation
among the enforcement agencies, stressing that stringent penalties await
maritime criminals in the country.
Dakuku
noted that there was now a robust framework for the criminalisation and
punishment of piracy and other maritime crimes in Nigeria and the Gulf of
Guinea. He said the seminar afforded the Judiciary and the Agency a unique
opportunity to dialogue on issues of mutual importance, particularly, the
sensitisation of judges on contemporary maritime law issues both within and
outside the Nigerian jurisdiction.
The seminar was previously meant for Judges of the Federal High Court, Court of
Appeal, and High Courts of the littoral states. But this year, the scope of
participation was further enlarged to include law enforcement agencies.
Dakuku
stated, “With the world's waters accounting for over 80 per cent of
transportation requirements in the global trading supply chain network across
established international routes and trade lanes, the threats of piracy, armed
robbery at sea and other maritime crimes have been an issue of global concern.
“The Gulf of Guinea, sadly, had been at the epicentre of maritime security
discussions globally, given the incidents recorded in the region. The challenge
of maritime insecurity in the region had been further compounded by a deficit
of legislation to address the challenge.” He said the SPOMO Act had
addressed that challenge.
The
Director-General said the theme of the seminar was carefully selected to
facilitate an understanding of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime
Offences Act and the collaborative mechanisms between the Judiciary and
enforcement agencies in the implementation of the Act.
“At
the end, it is expected that there would be enhanced knowledge of participants
in areas of the core mandate of NIMASA, heightened awareness on the provisions
of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act and its
enforceability, assessment of the standard operating procedures in tackling
maritime crimes and the gaps and options for improvement and reform,” he
stated.
On
his part, the Director-General of NIALS, Ladan, said with the Nigerian economy
generating more than 70 per cent of seaborne trade in West Africa, the country
and region will prosper if the seas were safe for investment and commerce.
According
to Ladan, “Through this strategic maritime law seminar, we wish to enhance the capacity of, and remind our, Justice sector actors that we will all prosper
when the seas around us are safe, secure and free for all to use and exploit
natural resources, promote trade and investment, tourism, marine science and
technology, maritime transport, infrastructure development, and fisheries.”
He
said, “Through this seminar, we hope to build a greater understanding of the
common challenges of maritime safety and security and how the SPOMO Act 2019 seeks
to promote synergy among justice sector actors (judges, prosecutors,
anti-corruption agencies, security and law enforcement agencies) to effectively
respond to the multiple challenges earlier highlighted.”
President
Muhammadu Buhari had signed the SPOMO Act into law on June 24, 2019. The law
aims to tackle the menace of piracy and armed robbery on the country’s waters
and exclusive economic zone with a strong and specific legal instrument that
prescribes punishment for offenders and deters criminal elements. It is the
first standalone antipiracy law in the Gulf of Guinea region.
No comments:
Post a Comment