As part of efforts to curb criminal acts on Nigerian waters, the Federal Government has embarked on measures aimed at ensuring a smooth enforcement of the newly enacted anti-piracy law.
This was revealed in Lagos at the annual Strategic Admiralty Law Seminar for Judges put together by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
The conference focused on the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act, 2019.
The law aims to tackle the menace of piracy and armed robbery on the country’s waters and exclusive economic zone with a strong and specific legal instrument that prescribes punishment for offenders and deters criminal elements.
The Act prescribes jail terms of between 15 years and life, and fines from N50m to N500m for individuals and corporate organisations convicted for maritime offences.
The Directors-General of NIMASA and NIALS, Dr Dakuku Peterside and Prof. Mohammed Ladan, were quoted in a statement from NIMASA, to have said that there was a need for unencumbered implementation of the law.
They called for cooperation among the enforcement agencies, stressing that stringent penalties awaited maritime criminals in the country.
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