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Piracy, Armed Robbery in Gulf of Guinea Has Reduced- Touray
Piracy, Armed Robbery in Gulf of Guinea Has Reduced- Touray
By: Michael Mike
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray has said that the Gulf of Guinea has continued to witness a downward trend in piracy and armed robbery attacks over the year.
He noted that this was achieved through the efforts of the Inter-regional Coordination Centre, ICC, insisting that its achievements in maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is quite commendable.
Touray made this known at the 4th Annual Meeting of the Heads of Institution (HOI) of the ICC, at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday.
ICC was created in September 2014 by ECOWAS, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) with the mission of serving as the Coordination Centre on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea following the 2013 Yaoundé Summit of ECOWAS, ECCAS and GGC Heads of State and Government.
Touray in his address on Thursday, said: “Since the Political Declaration of our Heads of State, substantial progress has been made in our maritime community.
”This included the adoption of National Maritime Strategies and the deployment of critical maritime infrastructure that has improved maritime situational awareness.
“With regards to our MoU, some progress has been achieved by the governing body on inter-institutional coordination.
”The Coordination Centre receives funding, and its annual Work Plan and Budget are approved, including the operations of Maritime Operational Centres.”
Touray added that the importance ICC for global maritime security and safety cannot be wished away, noting that it attracted the interest of many development partners.
He listed them to include the G77++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea, the European Union, the German Federal Government and the Chinese Government for their different support and assistance.
He said: “Their assistance has contributed to our success in establishing the ECOWAS Regional Maritime Security Centre (CRESMAO) in Abidjan, with three Multinational Maritime Coordination Centres (MMCC) in Cotonou (Zone E), in Accra (Zone F), and in Praia (Zone G).
“Similarly, the ECCAS Maritime Security Architecture established a Regional Centre for Maritime Security in Central Africa (CRESMAC) in Pointe Noire, as well as Multinational Maritime Coordination Centres in Douala (Zone D) and in Luanda (Zone A).
“The establishment of maritime information sharing networks between ECOWAS and ECCAS have improved information sharing and situational awareness.”
Touray while noting that the Gulf of Guinea has continued to witness a downward trend in piracy and armed robbery attacks, added that: “According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), actual and attempted piracy and sea robbery incidents saw a downturn trend from 31 in 2015, 18 in 2021 to 15 in 2022.
“Incidences of piracy and armed robbery further declined to 6 attacks in the first quarter of 2024 in the Gulf of Guinea. This is thanks to our institutional actions and collective responses.”
Touray, however, stated that in spite of such laudable progress, the ICC had serious challenges, which included non-recruitment of key staff, irregular funding, and breakdown of essential services.
He said that there was still a need for regular review of the progress and challenges on the level of implementation of the Declaration, stressing that it was important to take concrete steps to address the challenges.
“The Code of Conduct on the Prevention and Suppression of Acts of Piracy, Armed Robbery Against Ships and Illicit Maritime Activities in West and Central Africa was supposed to be turned into a legally binding Agreement three years after its adoption in Yaoundé in 2013.
“Thus far, we have not achieved this after the 10th Year Anniversary of the Yaoundé process. It is therefore important that we critically appraise our institutional responses on the Code of Conduct,” he said.
Touray urged the ICC governing body, which comprises the Presidents of the Commissions of ECOWAS and ECCAS, and the Executive Secretary of the GGC, to review a new EU project, ‘Safe Seas’ for the region and the Yaoundé Architecture Regional Information Sharing (YARIS) tool.
He also called on member states to streamline development corporations and partnerships to ensure that ICC provided the necessary oversight to guide the Coordination Centre.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Gulf of Guinea Commission, Jose Abeso, said the region was still facing the challenges of maritime insecurity, stressing that the objective was to eliminate all forms of criminality in the domain.
He said that the law on criminal activities in the maritime sector in the Gulf of Guinea should be harmonized to act as effective detriments against committing such crimes.
“Our maritime domain is the next destination for the sustainable economic development of our countries.
”Our governments cannot or should not leave the running of institutions meant to patrol this area, to ensure that security and safety of activities is not left to third parties,” Abeso said.
Participants at the event included the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Gilberto Verissimo.
Others were the representative of the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS) and that of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA).
Piracy, Armed Robbery in Gulf of Guinea Has Reduced- Touray
News
Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara
Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
A mobile police operative attached to Operation Restore Peace has been killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Adabka village, Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 11:44 a.m. when the officer, deployed from Mopol 15, Ilorin, left his duty location in Adabka en route to Tibis village to purchase essential supplies.
Security sources in Bukkuyum told Zagazola that the operative was attacked at the outskirts of Adabka by armed bandits concealed in the surrounding bushes.
The attackers reportedly opened fire on the officer, killing him instantly before carting away his service riot gun.
“Field teams deployed to the scene recovered the body of the fallen operative, which was evacuated to Adabka Primary Health Care Centre for documentation,” the source said.
Sources said that the mode of attack aligns with operational tactics used by bandit factions linked to the Dan-Karama Gwaska and Dansadau networks, known for precision ambushes and rapid withdrawal.
Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara
News
GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference
GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference
Stakeholders comprising academics, policymakers, security experts and public-sector practitioners have deliberated ways of tackling insecurity in the country through a multi-faceted approach that includes economic empowerment, improved governance, and enhanced security cooperation.
They made the submission during the maiden International Conference organised by the Department of Public Administration, Gombe State University (GSU).
The conference was declared open on Tuesday by Prof. Sani Ahmed Yauta, the Vice Chancellor of the institution who stated that any engagement aimed at proffering solutions to the security challenges of the country was an engagement borne out of the need to fast-track national development and stability.
Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof. Danladi Umar, Yauta urged participants to leverage the conference to contribute to ongoing efforts at addressing security challenges so as to enhance peace and development in the country.
In his keynote address, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, Secretary to the Gombe State Government, linked good governance to enhanced security and national development.
Njodi stressed that good governance remained a critical tool to earning citizens’ trust needed to maintain peace and to strengthen development across the country.
He stated that discourse around Nigeria’s governance had become imperative in view of the current security challenges confronting the nation and threatening national development.
He stressed the need for subnational governments to drive national development, adding that they have massive roles to play in determining Nigeria’s progress.
“It is the aggregation of subnational experiences—state successes and failures—that ultimately determines Nigeria’s trajectory.”
Njodi cited the Gombe State governance model and how it had contributed to improvement in human capital development as well as the development of the state and therefore resulting in the peaceful status that the state had enjoyed under Gov Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State’s leadership.
“The state’s development trajectory under Gov. Yahaya offers a practical demonstration of how visionary leadership, institutional innovation and participatory governance can transform a subnational entity within Nigeria’s federal system.
Speaking earlier, the Head of Public Administration Department, Prof. Matthew Funsho Bello, described the event as historic for both the department and the university.
Bello said that the conference’s theme, “Governance, Insecurity and National Development in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges,” was timely given the complexities of the nation’s socio-economic and security challenges.
“This gathering of distinguished scholars, public-sector experts, policymakers and practitioners from across the country marks a major milestone in our collective quest to address the vexing issues affecting our national life,” he said.
According to him, the theme reflects “the urgent need for academia, security agencies and public-sector experts to engage in constructive dialogue on how addressing insecurity and governance can drive sustainable development in Nigeria.
Security experts amongst other professionals made their presentations during the conference which are expected to form part of the recommendations at the end of the two-day event.
Dr Lawal Abdullahi Oladimeji, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the Conference, lauded all participants and invited guests for the success of the maiden event.
Oladimeji said that recommendations from the conference would be given to relevant stakeholders towards enhancing national security and development.
GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference
News
21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation
21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation
By: Zagazola Makama
Twenty-one persons have been abducted by suspected bandits in three villages of Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the coordinated attacks occurred in Sundu, Biresawa and Masaurari villages.
According to community members, two women were taken from Sundu, while five women and two children were abducted at Biresawa.
In Masaurari, nine men and one woman were reportedly seized, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 21 comprising nine men, eight women and two children.
The Police Command in Kano confirmed the attack noting that efforts had been intensified to rescue all victims unhurt.
The sources added that additional operatives had been deployed to the affected axis, while the area was being combed in collaboration with local vigilance groups and other security agencies.
The command assured residents of its commitment to restoring peace and urged the public to provide credible information that could aid ongoing operations.
21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation
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