The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has advocated the establishment of a special court dedicated to the prosecution of maritime crimes, saying such a judicial mechanism would strengthen Nigeria’s fight against crude oil theft, piracy, and other offences committed within the nation’s territorial waters.
According to the naval chief, the proposed court would be responsible for handling maritime-related cases exclusively, thereby speeding up the administration of justice and eliminating many of the delays associated with conventional court processes.
Vice Admiral Abbas made the call during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, where he spoke on efforts being made by the Nigerian Navy to secure the country’s maritime environment and combat criminal activities at sea.
He explained that the absence of a specialised judicial framework often prolongs the prosecution of suspects arrested for maritime offences, forcing the Navy to bear the burden of maintaining seized vessels and other exhibits for extended periods.
“What we are pushing for is that we should have a special court that will try these maritime criminals,” the naval chief said.
He noted that the establishment of such a court would ensure quicker adjudication of cases and reduce the operational and financial pressures currently faced by the Navy.
“If we have that in place, I believe the dispensation of justice will be done much faster and then ease the burden of keeping and maintaining some of the arrested vessels, which will be taken off from us because we spend a lot to maintain those vessels under our custody,” he stated.
The Naval Chief said the service currently commits substantial resources to securing and preserving vessels confiscated from suspected crude oil thieves and other maritime offenders while legal proceedings drag on.
He maintained that a dedicated maritime court would complement existing security efforts by ensuring that offenders are prosecuted more efficiently and that seized assets are promptly disposed of in accordance with the law.
Speaking on the security situation within Nigeria’s maritime domain, Vice Admiral Abbas said the country has recorded significant improvements in recent years as a result of enhanced naval operations and strategic investments in fleet expansion.
According to him, the Navy’s increased presence at sea has played a major role in reducing criminal activities within Nigeria’s coastal and offshore environments.
“What has changed operationally is constant presence at sea, and that’s as a result of the fleet recapitalisation we have undertaken. With more vessels now available to us, we have more ships out there patrolling our waters,” he said.
The naval chief further attributed the improved security landscape to the adoption of advanced surveillance systems and modern technological tools that enable real-time monitoring of maritime activities.
“Most importantly, the use of technology has also contributed to that, so we have almost total control of our maritime domain,” Abbas added.
Vice Admiral Abbas pointed to Nigeria’s removal from the global list of piracy-prone countries as one of the clearest indicators of progress achieved in maritime security.
“If I may say, I think in 2023, that was when Nigeria was delisted from the list of piracy-prone countries, and it has remained so to date,” he said.
Despite the gains recorded, the Naval Chief acknowledged that isolated incidents of sea robbery still occur within the Gulf of Guinea and other maritime corridors.
He, however, stressed that the Navy remains committed to sustaining the momentum achieved so far and preventing any resurgence of criminal activities in the nation’s waters.
“Even though we still have little pockets of sea robbery, we are not resting on our oars because if our own waters are relatively safe and those of our neighbours are not, then we cannot totally say we are also free,” he stated.
Vice Admiral Abbas emphasised that maritime security challenges transcend national boundaries and require continuous cooperation among countries within the Gulf of Guinea region.
He said criminal networks operating at sea often exploit weaknesses in neighbouring jurisdictions, making regional collaboration essential to safeguarding international shipping routes, protecting economic assets, and maintaining stability across West and Central African waters.
The Naval Chief reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to strengthening maritime security while calling for legal reforms that would ensure swift prosecution of offenders and reinforce the country’s efforts against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes.
