THE Nigerian Navy has debunked claims that former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has bought seven decommissioned Norwegian battleships supposedly for policing of Nigerian waterways.
Naval Chief of Training and Operations Austine Oyagha who made the rebuttal yesterday in Abuja to media men said: “No individual has acquired gunboats into this country, the gunboats being alluded to actually belong to NIMASA (Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency), and these boats are currently being manned by the Personnel of the Nigerian Navy.
“As you may be aware the NN has collaboration with NIMASA” with the attending maritime components “to support them in executing their statutory responsibilities in ensuring the safety of the maritime space and anchorage.”
Although the Naval authorities did not clarify if the boats were acquired within the last two years, Oyagha confirmed, however, that the collaboration with NIMASA is more than three years, in the course of which such gunships have been acquired, but can only be equipped with the said weapons with the consent of the Navy.
Tompolo was reported to have said “that these boats in question have been in the care of NIMASA for about two years now. For the avoidance of doubts, the boats are not warships or gunboats as being erroneously spread by mischief-makers.
“The boats as acquired are neither equipped with war arsenals nor are they ammunition carriers. They are simply boats equipped with modern surveillance devices to track oil thieves and in the process, increase the nation’s revenue base through NIMASA”.
The Naval chief spoke further: “The boats that I know of belong to NIMASA. Collaboration the Navy has with NIMASA. is that they can buy boats but they cannot acquire the weapons. When they buy we provide the personnel that man the boats, and the Navy arms the boats accordingly.”
“The collaboration with NIMASA is more than three years now and we have been acquiring boats over the years. I cannot give you the exact figure but they will continue to acquire these boats.”
Director General of NIMASA Patrick Akpobolokemi had said simple decommissioned vessels procured by NIMASA through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement were being used by the Nigerian Navy with whom the agency has a working agreement.
“As an arm of the government responsible for maritime safety, security and regulations amongst others, we work in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy and other relevant security agencies to use their men and arms to patrol and provide safety of the country’s water ways, as mandated by the global body, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).”
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