Navy Moves to Check Pirates, Oil Thieves
By Eugene Agha, 09.18.2008
There seems to be an end in sight to crisis in the Niger Delta region, following recent establishment of a telecommunication monitoring centre by the Nigerian Navy.
The centre, known as the Regional Maritime Awareness / Identification Centre, is located at the Western Naval Command Headquarters, Apapa, Lagos.
Addressing mediamen in Lagos after receiving some United States Naval officers in the country on a flag showing visit, the Flag Officer, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sylvester Umosen, said part of the work of the Centre is to identify and locate all activities of sea pirates and crude oil thieves within and around the nation's waterways, stretching up to the Gulf of Guinea.
Umosen, who was optimistic that the Centre will, not only help to track down vessel activities within the Nigerian territorial waters, but that it will also help to reduce activities of sea pirates and crude oil thieves, who had been terrorising crew members on board fishing trawlers and expatriates.
"The Regional Maritime Domain Awareness / Identification Centre, will enable naval officers to know what is happening at sea. It will also enable us to know if there is armed robbery attack on vessels within our waters, where the ship is located and pass similar message to naval patrol boats. We can pick up visuals and voice and communicate same to crew on board vessels in time of distress," he said.
Umosen said the Centre was established by the Nigerian Navy, in conjunction with the American Government.adding that it was the US naval officers that were sent to train their Nigerian counterpart on how to operate the equipment.
Commanding Officer of the US warship, Commander Todd Beltz, said they are willing to offer their Nigerian counterparts any assistance, event if it has to do with the crisis in the Niger Delta region, during their brief stay in Nigeria."
