I Will Fight Pirates, Oil Thieves as Long as I Remain Minister, Says Amaechi
*Laments loss of $7bn annually to oil thieves
By Francis Ugwoke
The Transportation Minister, Hon , Rotimi Amaechi, Thursday night vowed to wage a war against pirates and oil thieves over their nefarious activities and negative effect on the country and national economy.
Amaechi who spoke during this year’s Stakeholders’ Appreciation Night organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) said it was annoying that vessels coming to Nigeria were not coming with their own armed security because of the activities of pirates.
He said part of the efforts to check the pirates was the signing of $195million maritime security contract with an Israeli firm, HLSI Systems by the federal government.
He said he was dismayed by the recent kidnap of 19 crew on board a tanker vessel on Nigeria’s territorial waters.
He said his plan was to ensure that pirates and other criminals were chased out Nigeria’s territorial waters.
The Transportation Minister appealed to the Senate and the House of Representatives to support the security contract as the only way to end the security issue on the nation’s waters.
He said he will not tolerate a situation in which vessels are attacked every now and then on the nation’s waters as far as he remains the nation’s Transportation Minister.
He also added that it was annoying that the country was losing as much as
$7billion annually to oil thieves.
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