The Chief of Navy Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has called for establishment of special courts for maritime crimes in order to hasten justice delivery and act as deterrence to illegal maritime activities.
The courts, he said when established, will be solely dedicated and lead to effective and efficient justice delivery resulting to better outcomes for law enforcement.
Ogalla made the call on Thursday at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State while delivery a lecture at the Faculty of Social Sciences 2024 Distinguished Annual Public Lecture, with the title: “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Blue Economy Potentials: The Role of the Nigerian Navy.”
Ogalla noted that cases of maritime offences handed over to the police and various prosecuting agencies had suffered delays due to caseloads of general courts or caseloads of matters being treated by the various agencies.
He said that the Blue Economy is crucial to the economic prosperity of Nigeria, particularly as our population grows and global supply chain becomes increasingly integrated.
Ogalla said: “However, this growth also brings a multidimensional increase in maritime crimes.
“The Nigerian Navy has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring a secure environment necessary to safeguard the nation’s Blue Economy potentials.
“However, continued success of these efforts will require increased support and collaboration from all stakeholders.”
The CNS also advocated more local communities support in fighting crime in the Blue Economy, which entails all natural resources and transportation means within the maritime domain of the country.
He said the Nigerian Navy was involving more community engagement and outreach programmes, educational and health initiatives, special skills training workshops and positive partnership with stakeholders at the riverine communities.
In a remark, Prof Aloysius Okolie, the Vice-Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science Technology, who chaired the occasion, expressed appreciation to Ogalla for accepting to be the guest lecturer.
Okolie said that the present high rate of kidnapping, banditry and terrorism among others were as a result of breakdown of social contracts and moral values.
“One of the reasons of the present insecurity in the country is because some of the papetrators are not engaged in useful ventures as a result of breakdown of social contracts and moral,” he said.
Speaking, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Prof Polycarp Chigbu, said that the presence of Ogalla was a testament of his commitment in fostering dialogue, intellectual exchange and strategic engagement on matters that are pivotal to the growth and development of the nation.
The VC said UNN admired the remarkable transformations that Ogalla had spearheaded since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu as the Chief of Naval Staff.
Chigbu applauded the Dean Faculty of Social Science, Prof Chidi Nzeadibe, for attracting the Naval Chief to be the guest lecturer of the faculty’s 2024 public lecture.
He, however, solicited support from the Nigerian Navy that could enhance infrastructures and facilities development in the university.
Earlier, Nzeadibe (the dean, faculty of social science) expressed appreciation to the guest lecturer who inspite of his tight schedules came physical to deliver the faculty’s 2024 public lecture, adding: “The faculty is grateful to this honour you have shown the faculty.”