By GODFREY BIVBERE & OLAITAN AYOOLA

The Secretary of Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), Alex Peters, has said that strict onshore security is the solution to the issue of piracy and sea robbery in the nation’s waterways.

In a chat with Vanguard in Lagos, the Marine Engineer said government must put in place measures to ensure that security on-shore is water-tight, as this will serve as deterrent for those involved in the criminal act of piracy and sea robbery.

Peters, who is also the Managing Director of Accepters Nigeria Limited, faulted the present government effort at curbing the problem of off-shore, noting that the militarisation of shipping business is not the right action. He called on the government to focus more on the use of intelligence to curb the problem of piracy.
According to the marine expert, “A lot of the things they steal from the ship like the business of crude oil theft; they have to land them somewhere. So if they have base ashore, they must also return there. They cannot steal and do anything with what they have stolen at sea, they must land it ashore. If there is security, very strict security ashore, then piracy will be reduced.”

On the use of intelligence, the marine engineer scored government low and charged them to be more proactive.

In his words, “Again in the business of intelligence, you don’t have to employ somebody who is wearing conspicuous uniform and carrying a long riffle before you know you have security around. There are lots of work being carried out by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, for instance at sea in our coastal waters, a lot of intelligence can come from NIMASA operatives when they are actually working.