A lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, has referred to as for the deployment of “robust expertise” to cease crude oil theft and piracy in Nigeria.
Mr Ozekhome, SAN made the decision on Wednesday whereas talking as a panelist at one of many breakout classes of the continuing Nigerian Bar Affiliation (NBA) Annual Normal Convention on the Nationwide Stadium in Abuja.
He additionally made a case for severe authorized reform to place stiffer punishment for crude oil theft to behave as a deterrent to others, and that the federal government ought to legalise the unlawful refineries which can be within the Niger Delta area of the nation.
The constitutional lawyer additionally blamed conventional rulers, and the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, amongst others, for the rise in crude oil theft in Nigeria.
The lawyer, together with different panellists, have been discussing the subject, “The Impression of Maritime Safety Threats on the Nigerian Economic system: Nigerian Navy Perspective”.
He mentioned the Nigerian Navy had the mandate of defending the territorial waters within the nation with refined gear to hold out the accountability.
“When you have a safety man in your home and thieves invade your home, you’ll undoubtedly blame the safety man.
“The Navy is saddled with the accountability of defending our territorial waters from crude oil theft and so it can not say it’s free from theft of crude oil within the nation.
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“How can the Navy say that they have no idea how an enormous sea vessel will disappear from the excessive sea as if it’s a spirit?
“These vessels that carry this stolen crude are escorted by safety personnel? Who’re these personnel? Is it not the Navy that’s accountable?” Mr Ozekhome requested.
He additionally accused high authorities officers of crude oil theft, saying that the difficulty was like a scenario the place a non-state actor grew to become extra highly effective than the state itself.
“The individuals stealing the oil are authorities officers in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy. The Navy has the constitutional obligation to guard the nation’s territorial waters and all of the financial actions therein,” he mentioned.
He referred to as on the navy to call these behind the crude oil theft in order that they might be shamed and prosecuted.
He additionally mentioned Nigerian youths wanted to be given employment and “empowerment” as a part of efforts to maintain them legally engaged and free from crime.
“How are you going to arrest a vessel with crude value billions of naira and solely impose a positive of N500,000?” he mentioned.
The lawyer referred to as on the federal government to legalise the unlawful refineries within the Niger Delta area of the nation to curb unlawful refining.
‘Participation of non-state actors undermines authority of the navy’
On his half, Obiora Anyikwa, a commander within the Nigerian Navy, recognized crude oil theft, smuggling and unlawful refineries as main safety threats in Nigeria’s maritime atmosphere.
Mr Anyikwa, nonetheless, mentioned that because of the efforts of the navy, Nigeria had been faraway from the listing of piracy susceptible nations.
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He enumerated a few of the main challenges confronting the navy within the combat towards piracy and crude theft to incorporate participation of non-state actors amongst others.
“Participation of non-state actors undermines the authority of the navy in performing its duties.
“Lack of prosecutorial powers and lack of applicable maritime legislations in addition to lack of funding are another challenges,” he mentioned.
He mentioned that empowering approval of maritime attorneys to prosecute maritime associated instances in courtroom would go a good distance in making the job of the navy much less tedious.
He recognized maritime surveillance, response capability and enforcement of maritime legal guidelines as probably the most environment friendly methods to curb the exercise of pirates and oil thieves.
‘Forces in authorities’
Additionally talking as a panelist, one other naval officer, Patrick Effah, decried what he described as “monumental misinformation” in regards to the navy almost about crude oil theft within the media.
Mr Effah, a rear admiral, agreed that corruption and compromise have been a few of the components chargeable for the thriving enterprise of piracy and crude oil theft.
He additionally lamented that there have been some forces in authorities that have been making their job troublesome.
In keeping with him, after we arrest a vessel with considerable proof of unlawful crude, we’re inundated with courtroom orders to launch such vessels.
READ ALSO: Oil Theft: Nigerian troops uncover unlawful oil bunkers’ camps in Imo, Delta
“Even when they’re prosecuted, very minimal fines are given and they’re launched, how can that be the fault of the navy?”
Mr Effah mentioned it was exigent to improve the maritime area consciousness functionality for improved operational effectivity.
The Information Company of Nigeria, (NAN) studies that the NBA convention opened on Sunday with over 16,000 attorneys registered to take part.
It was declared open by President Bola Tinubu.
(NAN)
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