The United Nations (UN) has commended Nigeria for being the first country in Africa to successfully secure conviction for piracy, a statement by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), has said.
Spokesperson of the NSA, Zakari Usman, made this known on Thursday in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.
According to him, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Fathi-Wali, made the remark in New York.
He said Nigeria’s leadership role and commitment towards curbing maritime crimes could be attributed to the successful collaboration between Nigeria and UNODC.
He added that the Global Maritime Crime Programme and the Strategic Vision for Africa launched in 2021 has encouraged the organisation to extend its partnership beyond national governments to regional organisations.
Nigeria’s Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act, 2019 (POMO Act) aims to “prevent and supress piracy, armed robbery and any other unlawful act against a ship, aircraft and any other maritime craft, including fixed and floating platforms.”
It also gives effect to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (UNCLOS) and the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, 1988 (SUA).
As of December, 2021, Nigeria was the only country in Africa to pass the anti-piracy law.
“Following the first-ever successful prosecution of piracy in Africa by Nigeria, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Fathi Wali, has applauded Nigeria for its leadership role and commitment towards curbing maritime crimes,” the statement said.
READ ALSO: Piracy in Nigeria’s waters down 77% – International Maritime Bureau
Read the full statement:
PRESS RELEASE
UN Commends Nigeria over First-ever Successful Conviction of Piracy in Africa
ABUJA, FCT, 20 JANUARY 2022– Following the first-ever successful prosecution of piracy in Africa by Nigeria, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Fathi Wali, has applauded Nigeria for its leadership role and commitment towards curbing maritime crimes.
Wali gave the commendation in New York and noted that the successful collaboration between Nigeria and UNODC, as evidenced by the Global Maritime Crime Programme and the Strategic Vision for Africa launched in 2021, has encouraged the organisation to extend its partnership beyond national governments to regional organisations.
Indeed, one of the gaps identified by the Federal Government of Nigeria in the fight against maritime crimes was the weak legal and institutional framework for prosecuting offenders. In response, President Muhammadu Buhari, on the 24th of June 2019, assented to the Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences (POMO) Bill.
By the POMO Act, Nigeria became the first country in the West and Central African sub-regions to promulgate a stand-alone law against piracy. The Act also domesticates, as required, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982 and the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA), 1988.
In July 2021, under the POMO Act, the Federal Government secured the successful prosecution of 10 pirates for the first time anywhere in Africa. But asides creating a legal and institutional framework for prosecuting maritime crimes, the Federal Government has also prioritised the provision of maritime intelligence facilities.
For instance, President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned a state-of-the-art Falcon Eye Maritime Intelligence Facility at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja last year.
The set up and operationalisation of the project was facilitated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) as part of efforts to boost Nigeria’s overall maritime security architecture, in accordance with the National Security Strategy (NSS, 2019), under which kidnapping of oil workers, sea robbery/piracy, incessant problems of crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, hostage-taking and maritime terrorism are classified as national security threats.
The commendation by UNODC, therefore, places enormous responsibility on Nigeria to continue to lead innovative efforts towards the fight against maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea and across the continent, especially in the areas of intelligence sharing and coordinated legal strategy.
The Office of the National Security Adviser is committed to ongoing national, regional and international collaboration to strengthen legal, administrative and operational efforts in line with national maritime security objectives. All Stakeholders are, therefore, encouraged to continue to set high standard in the prevention and prosecution of maritime crimes.
Signed: Zakari Usman, Head, Strategic Communication, Office of the National Security Adviser
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.
TEXT AD: To place an advert here . Call Willie - +2348098788999
![Nigerian Police officers on duty [Photo credit: Today.ng]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2017/02/nigeria_police_-690x450.jpg?resize=120%2C86&ssl=1)
![Troops on day 1&2 of Ex FLINTLOCK. USArmy Counter Terrorism exercise with Nigerian Navy SBS and 707 SF Bde are working as a Special Operations Task Unit alongside #Senegal, Morocco, Burkino Faso and Cameroon #USAfricaCommand #Flintlock20. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter account of UK in Nigeria]](https://i1.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2020/02/ERNNJESWsAA07D9.jpg?resize=75%2C75&ssl=1)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION