'Why Illegal Arms Shipment to Persists'

This Day

19 December 2010

'Why Illegal Arms Shipment to Persists'

Nigerian Merchant Navy at the weekend identified poor maritime culture and over-dependence on the Nigeria Navy as the major reasons for the country's porous territorial waters and proliferation of small arms and weapons.

Commandant General of the Nigerian Merchant Navy, Commodore Aderemi Olatinwo, stated this at a news conference at the Lagos Country Club in Ikeja on the proposed maiden National Sailors and Award Nite scheduled to take place in February 2011.

Olatinwo, who was in company of some merchant navy officers, said the role of the Nigerian Merchant Navy in the maritime industry, both in peace and war times, could not be quantified, adding that the merchant navy "is regarded as the fourth arm of defense all over the world".

He also explained that non recognition of the activities of the merchant navy in the nation's coastal waters by the Federal Government further accounts for the country's porous and vulnerable waters, insisting that the apex government's nonchalance was responsible for the porous ports.

"There is need to for the Nigerian Merchant Navy to be empowered and properly equipped by the Nigerian legislative arm. In United state, there are Coast Guards most of whom are graduates from Merchant Navy Academy. In Nigeria, there are over 5,000 registered merchant vessels operating in Nigerian waters; yet less than 5 percent of the merchant seafarers are Nigerian citizens.

"Nigeria loses more than N150 billion annually while majority of Nigerians who could have otherwise been gainfully employed within the maritime sector are roaming about the street in search of non-existing jobs. There is no basis for any friction between the Nigeria Navy and Merchant Navy.