MONDAY, 25th October, 2021: Nigeria has presented its case for an election into a seat on the council of International Maritime Organisation. It has also cited an improvement in its maritime security.
According to the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) who disclosed this in a statement, its Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, delivered a pitch to IMO's Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, on the country's preparedness to be elected into its main decision-making organ.
Dr. Jamoh explained that Nigeria had recently intensified efforts at ensuring improved maritime security, raising safety standards on Nigerian waters in line with IMO regulations, and achieving a pollution-free marine environment.
Jamoh referenced a recent report by the International Maritime Bureau that said Nigerian waterways up to the Gulf of Guinea had recorded improved security. He quoted the report as saying that the gulf recorded 28 incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the first nine months of 2021, compared to 46 in the same period in 2020.
He stated, “What is of particular importance to us in the report is the fact that Nigeria reported only four incidents during the period, against 17 and 41 cases that were recorded in 2020 and 2018, respectively.
“The IMB report shows that crew kidnappings in the region during the period dropped to only one crew member, compared to 31 taken in five separate incidents in the third quarter of 2020. It is quite remarkable that the only crew kidnapping case recorded during the period under review was against the vessel at the port of exchange, while the average successful kidnapping location during the same period in 2020 was approximately 100 nautical miles from the land.”
On marine environment protection, Jamoh disclosed to Lim that Nigeria had engaged marine litter marshals to monitor and ensure compliance with international standards.
 Nigeria aims to clinch a Category C seat in an election, alongside 39 other members of the organisation.