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NIMASA undertakes surveillance training for security agencies

L-R:   Manager, HLSI
Systems & Technology Ltd, Mr Mickey Har Gaash, Director General, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Petetrside, Best Graduating Student, Mohammed El-Yakubu and the
Executive Director (Finance & Administration), NIMASA, Mr Bashir Yusuf
Jamoh during the Graduation of participants special integrated course on maritime
surveillance and security in Lagos, February 6, 2019.

In its effort to rid the Nigerian maritime domain of
criminality, the Federal Government through the Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has undertaken surveillance training
for officers from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria
Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and NIMASA, on the C4I Integrated
Surveillance Systems operation.

The system will aid the coordinated view of the
entire Nigerian maritime domain.

Speaking yesterday at the graduation ceremony held at the
Nigerian Maritime Resource Development Centre (NMRDC), Lagos, Director General
of the Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, restated the government’s determination to
ensure that the country’s territorial waters was free of piracy and all forms
of maritime crime in order to facilitate economic development.

Dakuku added that the C4I Integrated Surveillance Systems
operation, organised by the Agency in conjunction with an Israeli security
firm, HLSi Security Systems and Technologies Limited, was another step towards
building human capacity for the maritime industry, particularly the Deep Sea
project.

In his words, ”As part of our efforts towards tackling
piracy and other maritime crimes, which continue to constitute threats to
vessels plying our territorial waters, the C4I System Operator Course is a part
of the ‘Total Maritime Security Strategy’ adopted under this management to give
us the best eye view of our domain and ultimately halt insecurity in order to
ensure that our maritime industry optimises its potential of contributing
majorly to Nigeria’s economic growth.”

While noting that crime free waters would further boost the
investment opportunities in the nation’s blue economy, Dr Dakuku added that the
Agency was aware of the issues that made the Gulf of Guinea one of the most
challenging maritime domains in terms of security. 

This, he said, was why
NIMASA was attacking the issue on all fronts, including sponsoring a bill that
will make cases relating to piracy and other sea crimes to be decisively dealt
with to serve as a deterrent to potential perpetrators.

The DG added that effective surveillance would aid quick
response time to crime scenes, especially with the Agency’s possession of fast
intervention vessels. He said all these put together would encourage investors
and make the Nigerian maritime sector an investment hub.

In his remarks, the Nigerian Representative of HLSI, Mr
Mickey Gaash, commended the participants for their exemplary conduct during the
programme. 
Gaash said the training was the first in the series, saying it would
be followed by advanced training on surveillance.

He also commended the NIMASA management for its dedication
and commitment to ending piracy, not only in the Nigerian territorial waters,
but also in the entire Gulf of Guinea.

The first batch of twenty two (22) graduates from the
programme, who are to proceed to the intelligence gathering stage of the
training schedule, were selected from all the participating armed forces
branches and security agencies including the Army, Navy, Air Force, DSS and
NIMASA.

The Deep Blue Project which has the establishment of an
Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure in Nigeria
at its heart, has the advantage of providing an eagle eye view of the entire
Nigerian maritime domain.

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