NIMASA – NN MoU sails into troubled waters • Navy seeks review over Agency’s alleged militancy

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy (NN) has hit troubled waters, SHIPS & PORTS DAILY can authoritatively report. 

The NIMASA-NN MoU had helped the Maritime Guard Command (MGC), which continued existence, it was learnt, hangs heavily in the balance, over the angst of the Navy that NIMASA was becoming increasingly militaristic and usurping its traditional role of safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

The MGC, initially composed of Naval personnel, but has since been expanded to include personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Nigerian Army (NA), is domiciled in NIMASA, and presently commanded by a Navy Captain.

The NIMASA – NN MoU, according to its proponents, came forth to enable NIMASA effectively execute its brief of administering and maintaining safety in Nigeria’s maritime domain. SHIPS & PORTS DAILYwas reliably informed that the NN top brass is pressing for a review of certain clauses in the MoU, noting that these impact negatively on the operations of the Navy.

The Navy’s angst, it was gathered, is particularly so over what was described as certain recent actions of NIMASA that conflict with certain functions of the NN.
Indicative of its determination for continued synergy with NIMASA, in particular, and other stakeholders, in general, the NN, it was learnt, is unrelenting in campaigning for reinforced intelligence and information sharing between them.