To curb the growing menace of sea piracy on Nigerian waterways, offenders are now to face life jail. This is contained in the Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences Law, just signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Maritime piracy remains one of the biggest crimes in the industry, resulting to huge financial losses, physical harm to crew members and a major threat to maritime security.
As a result of insecurity in the Nigerian waters, goods are consigned to Nigeria on CIF (Cost Insurance Freight) basis instead of FOB (Free On Board), thus making shipping into the country very expensive.
Section 12, Part two of the law stipulates that: “Any person who commits an act of piracy, armed robbery at sea or any other unlawful act under this Act, whether or not he was armed with a firearm or other weapon during the commission of the offence, shall be liable on conviction to life imprisonment and to a fine of not more than N250,000,000, in addition to the restitution to the owner or forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of whatever the person has obtained or gained from the commission of the crime.
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“Where any person- (a) commits a maritime offence, armed robbery at sea or unlawful act apart from piracy, depending on the nature and severity of the maritime offence and during the commission of the offence was in possession of or had under his control any firearm, explosive, or BRCN weapon, shall be liable on conviction to not less than 15 years imprisonment, in addition to and without prejudice to the restitution to the owner or forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of whatever property or gains he has obtained from the maritime offence or unlawful act,” it stated.
The law also provides for the establishment of the Piracy and Maritime Offences fund, stating that: “The Agency shall, under the supervision of the minister, establish and maintain a fund to be known as the Piracy and Maritime Offences Fund. The Fund shall be used for the implementation of this Act. There shall be paid and credited to the Fund – such monies as may in each year be approved by the Federal Government for the implementation of the Act.
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Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said the law was a step in the right direction, adding, “It marks the dawn of a great moment for world maritime.”
Dakuku also noted that, “This is not just a victory for NIMASA, but also for all the stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime community. We are determined to continue to deliver on our promise to investors and the international community to ensure an increasingly safer and more secure environment for profitable maritime business. The new law at this very critical stage of our Blue Economy drive is certainly an elixir that will boost our capacity to harness the rich potential of our seas and oceans.”
He thanked the President for “his commitment and passion for measures that will guarantee safety and security on Nigerian waters.”