Maritime Security: No need for Nigeria Marine Corps – Nigerian Navy

**As other stakeholders say proposed outfit is a duplication of role of security agencies.

JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja

The Nigerian Navy NN on Monday said that there is no need for the establishment of the Nigeria Marine Corps as the agency is capable and working tirelessly to secure the nation’s territorial waters.

The Navy also said that the enactment of a law seeking to establish the Nigeria Marine Corps is going to create more confusion as  there’ll be parallel security agencies working towards the security of the nation’s maritime sector.

This position was canvassed by the security agency at a one-day public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Navy on Monday at the National Assembly.

The hearing is titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Establish the Nigeria Marine Corps to Promote Maritime Security and for Related Matters’

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla represented by Rear Admiral E.O Ferreira said that the Nigeria Navy does not need any other agency to support it’s role of securing the nation’s territorial waters.

He said that the agency’s commitment to combating criminal activities in the maritime sector including oil theft, sea piracy, illegal refining of crude and other crimes is unwavering.

Also speaking in a remark, the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy Hon.Dr.Yusuf Adamu Gagdi said that the public hearing is a strategic initiative of the House to secure the nation’s maritime sector.

He urged all the invited stakeholders to make presentations on their memoranda submitted to the committee before the hearing to enable the members to make informed decisions on the proposed law.

Some other stakeholders including the Nigeria Police Force NPF,  Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency and the Institute of of Security Analysts of Nigeria and others also opposed the establishment of the Nigeria Marine Corps saying it would lead to duplication of the role of the nation’s security agencies.