The director-general of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi has debunked the allegation that ex-militant Government Ekpemokpolo, popularly known as Tompolo bought warships, explaining that they were not warships but boats meant for the Nigerian Navy for the purpose of combating piracy, oil theft and other sea crimes.
A report recently went viral that Tompolo acquired six warships from Norway. But the NIMASA boss said they were not warships, but decommissioned boats provided for the Navy on behalf of NIMASA and that the boats are now manned by the Navy.
Tompolo sits on the board of Global West Vessels Specialists Limited (GWVSL), a company the agency awarded a multi-million dollar contract to provide anti-piracy platforms, while NIMASA maintains an MOU with the Navy on anti-piracy, oil theft and other sea crimes. The contract to GWVSL was signed in February 2012 and was to be renewed annually based on satisfactory performance.
There are however, indications that some staff of GWVSL are directly involved in anti-piracy patrol, as the company was reported to have lost its managing director in one of such face-off with criminals in the sea last year.
“It is obvious that those who are involved in oil theft and sea crimes are the ones sponsoring the report that Tompolo bought warships. That is sheer blackmail and we will not yield to blackmail,” Akpobolokemi said.
He said many Nigerians might not have seen a warship before and therefore did not know how they look like.
“What we have are boats that were acquired for the Navy and the guns mounted on them right now are mounted by the Nigerian Navy. They are manned by the Navy. Honestly I don’t know what to do to make our people happy anymore.
He said the involvement of a private company in the acquisition of maritime platforms had enabled the agency deliver on its mandate as the securer of the country’s coasts.
“When pirates are ravaging somewhere in the sea, you won’t have to wait for bureaucratic processes to provide bunker. It is a time-bound action. The involvement of a private company in providing platforms for us is one of the best decisions we have ever made in this agency. “Now, we have absolute coverage of the Nigerian waters and can respond to any distress call anywhere in our waters,” he said.
A report recently went viral that Tompolo acquired six warships from Norway. But the NIMASA boss said they were not warships, but decommissioned boats provided for the Navy on behalf of NIMASA and that the boats are now manned by the Navy.
Tompolo sits on the board of Global West Vessels Specialists Limited (GWVSL), a company the agency awarded a multi-million dollar contract to provide anti-piracy platforms, while NIMASA maintains an MOU with the Navy on anti-piracy, oil theft and other sea crimes. The contract to GWVSL was signed in February 2012 and was to be renewed annually based on satisfactory performance.
There are however, indications that some staff of GWVSL are directly involved in anti-piracy patrol, as the company was reported to have lost its managing director in one of such face-off with criminals in the sea last year.
“It is obvious that those who are involved in oil theft and sea crimes are the ones sponsoring the report that Tompolo bought warships. That is sheer blackmail and we will not yield to blackmail,” Akpobolokemi said.
He said many Nigerians might not have seen a warship before and therefore did not know how they look like.
“What we have are boats that were acquired for the Navy and the guns mounted on them right now are mounted by the Nigerian Navy. They are manned by the Navy. Honestly I don’t know what to do to make our people happy anymore.
He said the involvement of a private company in the acquisition of maritime platforms had enabled the agency deliver on its mandate as the securer of the country’s coasts.
“When pirates are ravaging somewhere in the sea, you won’t have to wait for bureaucratic processes to provide bunker. It is a time-bound action. The involvement of a private company in providing platforms for us is one of the best decisions we have ever made in this agency. “Now, we have absolute coverage of the Nigerian waters and can respond to any distress call anywhere in our waters,” he said.
