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| Mr. Temisan Omatseye |
Regarding the Gulf of Guinea(GoG)
security, Maritime Lawyer and a former Director General of the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Temisan Omatseye, is of the
opinion that an international task force should be drafted to the region like
it was done in the Gulf of Aden, which has for some time now experienced more
peace compared to what it used to be.
security, Maritime Lawyer and a former Director General of the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Temisan Omatseye, is of the
opinion that an international task force should be drafted to the region like
it was done in the Gulf of Aden, which has for some time now experienced more
peace compared to what it used to be.
Gleaning from discussions held at the
Global Maritime Security Conference, which took place recently in Abuja, Omatseye
said it would be rewarding to also apply strategies that have worked significantly
in a place like the Gulf of Aden, which used to suffer more piracy attacks. He,
like many maritime industry stakeholders, talked on the importance and as a
matter of necessity, for collaborative efforts among the Gulf of Guinea States
in the fight against piracy in the area.
He said: “If you see what is
happening in the Gulf of Aden, you will see that there was an international
taskforce that went in, not only to deal with the issues of the piracy on the
high seas, but to also take the issues to the shore to deal with what was
happening with the Somalia, because piracy starts from onshore before coming to
offshore. But, naturally what has happened is that a lot of things have
transpired. There is a bit of calm in the Gulf of Aden, and now, suddenly the
GoG has become a very hot spot.”
happening in the Gulf of Aden, you will see that there was an international
taskforce that went in, not only to deal with the issues of the piracy on the
high seas, but to also take the issues to the shore to deal with what was
happening with the Somalia, because piracy starts from onshore before coming to
offshore. But, naturally what has happened is that a lot of things have
transpired. There is a bit of calm in the Gulf of Aden, and now, suddenly the
GoG has become a very hot spot.”
On key
take-away from the Global Maritime Security Conference (#GMSC2019)
take-away from the Global Maritime Security Conference (#GMSC2019)
I believe the take away for a lot of
us from this is that improving on your own security on your waters does not
guarantee safety. This is because those same people you have driven from your waters
are going to the countries next door, and they can still do quick attack in
your area and do a quick take-off. So, naturally, there has to be collaboration among most of the countries. Not only in the East and Central African
countries, but also the Gulf of Guinea. That is why you saw countries like
Angola being involved. When criminals go to international waters they become
pirates, but in national waters they are sea robbers. It is important to note
that the criminals are becoming more sophisticated. So, a strong collaboration
is needed. If for instance Nigeria is chasing somebody into Cameroon, there
should be a natural collaboration to allow them to follow, and the Cameroonians
should follow to pursue in the arrest. It should be same thing if you go to
Cotonou or Lome. So, the criminals should see that the enforcement officers are
speaking in one voice, like the standard operating procedure being one across
the GoG. The high seas are very tough, so they should pool resources. I don’t
need to have 200 boats, when I can buy only 50 and others buy the rest in
smaller units to make up what is needed to secure the entire area.
us from this is that improving on your own security on your waters does not
guarantee safety. This is because those same people you have driven from your waters
are going to the countries next door, and they can still do quick attack in
your area and do a quick take-off. So, naturally, there has to be collaboration among most of the countries. Not only in the East and Central African
countries, but also the Gulf of Guinea. That is why you saw countries like
Angola being involved. When criminals go to international waters they become
pirates, but in national waters they are sea robbers. It is important to note
that the criminals are becoming more sophisticated. So, a strong collaboration
is needed. If for instance Nigeria is chasing somebody into Cameroon, there
should be a natural collaboration to allow them to follow, and the Cameroonians
should follow to pursue in the arrest. It should be same thing if you go to
Cotonou or Lome. So, the criminals should see that the enforcement officers are
speaking in one voice, like the standard operating procedure being one across
the GoG. The high seas are very tough, so they should pool resources. I don’t
need to have 200 boats, when I can buy only 50 and others buy the rest in
smaller units to make up what is needed to secure the entire area.
How will the
presence of the international community impact on proposed solutions to the
problems of piracy in the GoG?
presence of the international community impact on proposed solutions to the
problems of piracy in the GoG?
It is good there is a strong
international presence here. It will do a lot. People from Italy, the US Coast
Guard and many others. Simple, the impact of unsafe seas has an effect on their
economy too. They might be charging us the insurance as they are doing here,
but it is added to the goods they are buying from here. That is why you see the
world has become a global village. In that respect, their presence here means a
lot as they right in the discussions and appreciating the problems better. But
as a country, Nigeria, in collaboration with other partners in the GoG are
coming together to provide a very strong force to fight the issue of armed
robbery at sea and piracy.
international presence here. It will do a lot. People from Italy, the US Coast
Guard and many others. Simple, the impact of unsafe seas has an effect on their
economy too. They might be charging us the insurance as they are doing here,
but it is added to the goods they are buying from here. That is why you see the
world has become a global village. In that respect, their presence here means a
lot as they right in the discussions and appreciating the problems better. But
as a country, Nigeria, in collaboration with other partners in the GoG are
coming together to provide a very strong force to fight the issue of armed
robbery at sea and piracy.
What about a national single platform for command, control and collaboration operations?
That really is a challenge. Because, the issue we are facing here is a clear-cut demarcation of roles and
responsibilities. Really and truly, the issue should be of national interest.
As a country, we must be obedient to the conventions, which we are signatory
to. The issue of the seas is the governed by the United Nations Convention on
Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). Also, you have the SOLAS Convention, that is, the
Safety of Life at Sea Convention. These are conventions that have international
implication and is domesticated here in Nigeria. It is quite clear
internationally, the Navy’s roles are clearly defined. We have the issue of
Blue Water and the issue of brown water.
responsibilities. Really and truly, the issue should be of national interest.
As a country, we must be obedient to the conventions, which we are signatory
to. The issue of the seas is the governed by the United Nations Convention on
Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). Also, you have the SOLAS Convention, that is, the
Safety of Life at Sea Convention. These are conventions that have international
implication and is domesticated here in Nigeria. It is quite clear
internationally, the Navy’s roles are clearly defined. We have the issue of
Blue Water and the issue of brown water.
When it comes to issue of commercial
shipping, it is very clear that the navy has their own roles and need for coast
guard functions. That is what an agency as NIMASA is supposed to provide.
Naturally, NIMASA cannot reinvent the wheel, because already the navy are not
going to fight any war. But how can there be a collaboration between an agency
like NIMASA, the Navy, the Airforce and the Amphibian Command of the Nigerian
Army and the Marine Police? How can we get collaboration? That is the key to
it. We can run it and call it a name which will meet the international
convention to which we are signatory to. Which is why NIMASA has maritime guard
command. NIMASA might have the money to sponsor this, but we must keep the line
clear. The jobs are there. I know it is sometimes ego issue, where some officer
finds it difficult to take instructions from a civilian authority. But
conventions are conventions. In other parts of the world, it is being
done. If you go through the Mediterranean,
you don’t see the navy, it is the coast guards. If you go to South Korea,
China, to the UK, the US, you see them, they are the ones handling issues of
commercial nature and those stuff. The collaboration between NIMASA and the
Nigerian Navy has to be a lot stronger. You cannot go out there and try to sell
what you have not domesticated. There is need for us to domesticate unity
between NIMASA and the Navy.
shipping, it is very clear that the navy has their own roles and need for coast
guard functions. That is what an agency as NIMASA is supposed to provide.
Naturally, NIMASA cannot reinvent the wheel, because already the navy are not
going to fight any war. But how can there be a collaboration between an agency
like NIMASA, the Navy, the Airforce and the Amphibian Command of the Nigerian
Army and the Marine Police? How can we get collaboration? That is the key to
it. We can run it and call it a name which will meet the international
convention to which we are signatory to. Which is why NIMASA has maritime guard
command. NIMASA might have the money to sponsor this, but we must keep the line
clear. The jobs are there. I know it is sometimes ego issue, where some officer
finds it difficult to take instructions from a civilian authority. But
conventions are conventions. In other parts of the world, it is being
done. If you go through the Mediterranean,
you don’t see the navy, it is the coast guards. If you go to South Korea,
China, to the UK, the US, you see them, they are the ones handling issues of
commercial nature and those stuff. The collaboration between NIMASA and the
Nigerian Navy has to be a lot stronger. You cannot go out there and try to sell
what you have not domesticated. There is need for us to domesticate unity
between NIMASA and the Navy.
Speaking on how engaging communities
on collaboration for security could add value, Omatseye said it would be a welcome
initiative that would enable such
communities take the issue as their concern and fight to protect the area against
external invasion. “A sense of ownership in a security project among
communities in the area will be significant,” he added.
on collaboration for security could add value, Omatseye said it would be a welcome
initiative that would enable such
communities take the issue as their concern and fight to protect the area against
external invasion. “A sense of ownership in a security project among
communities in the area will be significant,” he added.
