by Kingseyi Thu Jul 26, 2018 10:10 amA maritime consultant and head analyst of C. A.
BORHA (Management and Economic Services),
Christopher Borha, has called for the creation of
an independent Coastal Defence Force as
permanent solution to the challenge of pirate
attacks on the nation’s waterways.
Reacting to Vanguard Maritime Report’s lead
story in its maiden edition, he said Nigeria’s
inability to create the said force is responsible
for the insistent attacks on the waterways.
“This force can only be successfully created
from the Nigerian Navy. “Please recall that the
Nigerian Navy started as the Maritime
Department of the Royal Navy, dedicated to
performing functions now handled by the
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian
Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). That was in
1887.
“Its mandate was Port Security, Coastal
Approaches and Harbour Services. This was the
state of affairs for 69 years.
“When the NPA was created in 1956, the
Nigerian Navy went through several stages of
evolution: Nigerian Naval Force, Naval Defence
Force, Nigerian Navy Ordnance, Royal Nigerian
Navy and finally Nigerian Navy, in 1963.
(navy.mil.ng.history)
“Even when the Nigerian Navy became a branch
of the Armed Services with responsibility for
security and deterrence operations at sea, it was
limited to three nautical miles of territorial
waters!
“The Nigerian Navy is now capable of open
ocean application of the highest standards but it
is still the pre-eminent force in coastal maritime
security.
“It has a Special Boat Service Branch, created in
2006, dedicated to anti piracy operations within
and outside our shores.
“There is a nascent Nigerian Navy Special
Forces, highly trained at coastal maritime
defence, ready (and waiting) to be deployed.
“The Policy Implication is this: carve the littoral
capabilities of the Nigerian Navy, add those of
the Marine Police and the Nigerian Army and
create an independent Coastal Defence Force.
“Specify its mandate, work out the command
and control process, analyse the Maritime
Services for duplication of efforts and eliminate.
Deploy the new Coastal Defence Force,” he
concluded.
BORHA (Management and Economic Services),
Christopher Borha, has called for the creation of
an independent Coastal Defence Force as
permanent solution to the challenge of pirate
attacks on the nation’s waterways.
Reacting to Vanguard Maritime Report’s lead
story in its maiden edition, he said Nigeria’s
inability to create the said force is responsible
for the insistent attacks on the waterways.
“This force can only be successfully created
from the Nigerian Navy. “Please recall that the
Nigerian Navy started as the Maritime
Department of the Royal Navy, dedicated to
performing functions now handled by the
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian
Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). That was in
1887.
“Its mandate was Port Security, Coastal
Approaches and Harbour Services. This was the
state of affairs for 69 years.
“When the NPA was created in 1956, the
Nigerian Navy went through several stages of
evolution: Nigerian Naval Force, Naval Defence
Force, Nigerian Navy Ordnance, Royal Nigerian
Navy and finally Nigerian Navy, in 1963.
(navy.mil.ng.history)
“Even when the Nigerian Navy became a branch
of the Armed Services with responsibility for
security and deterrence operations at sea, it was
limited to three nautical miles of territorial
waters!
“The Nigerian Navy is now capable of open
ocean application of the highest standards but it
is still the pre-eminent force in coastal maritime
security.
“It has a Special Boat Service Branch, created in
2006, dedicated to anti piracy operations within
and outside our shores.
“There is a nascent Nigerian Navy Special
Forces, highly trained at coastal maritime
defence, ready (and waiting) to be deployed.
“The Policy Implication is this: carve the littoral
capabilities of the Nigerian Navy, add those of
the Marine Police and the Nigerian Army and
create an independent Coastal Defence Force.
“Specify its mandate, work out the command
and control process, analyse the Maritime
Services for duplication of efforts and eliminate.
Deploy the new Coastal Defence Force,” he
concluded.
