Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The increase in attacks on vessels at anchorage as well as piracy in the blue waters, has led to the rise in the number of private escort security operatives licensed by the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC onboard ships on the nation’s waters.
Investigation revealed that about 50 such firms are currently operating security services for merchant ships under the aegis of Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria, MASPAN.
Harboursandport.com gathered that some of the platforms used by these firms are anchored along the Marina in Lagos.
A source close to these firms said that most of them are owned by foreigners with Nigerians as fronts to cover up the real owners, adding that these owners are mostly ex-military men who recruit ex-military officials from both within and outside the country on a contract basis.
Harboursandport further learnt that the presence of these security firms is responsible for the spike in piracy and other crimes in the country as well as the region, while the necessity for them will cease the moment peace returns to the nation’s waters.
The source disclosed that the escort service by these security firms costs between $5,000 and $7,500 per day, a figure that was confirmed by a security expert and a former Director at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Enisouh Warredi.
Warredi noted that there were several security outfits with a specialty in escort of vessels plying the area, stressing that vessels belonging to these firms were anchored at the jetties on standby for the escorts.
He said: “Escort services alone hovers around $5,000 to $7,500 per day. Go to Marina and see the number of security vessels packed on the jetties on standby for escort jobs. These ships are painted in naval grey colours. All the companies must have a valid MoU with the Nigerian Navy, so no one can bring his/her own ship without Navy's knowledge because it will be impounded.”
He also explained that the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, knows this fact and that the IMO cannot be fooled, adding: “Whenever there is a shootout, they neither report nor declare as it will amount to the commandos revealing their disguise as part of the crew, and also declaring the weapons on board the Merchant Ship. This is what is keeping the piracy figures down.
“The only danger in it is that, if it's not controlled, there could just proliferate us with semi-automatic weapons at will.”
Similarly, another stakeholder, Ahmed Wanka, noted that as long as it is an effective deterrent, it is worth every penny spent. So far so good, it is the only working solution. Wanka also stressed that the weapons are kept in the belly of their vessels.
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