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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Navy has raised the alarm over the increasing number of fake and illegal maritime security agencies operating in the country.
Director of Naval Information Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan who made this known said what was most worrisome was that the illegal agencies wore Nigerian Navy uniforms while others used uniforms similar to that of the navy in their operations to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
Ayo-Vaughan in a statement while noting that the navy had arrested and handed over for prosecution members of some of those outlawed organisations in the past, said their increase was worrisome and could lead to a rise in maritime crime if not checked.
He warned those behind the illegal acts as the Navy would leave no stone unturned in its bid to secure the maritime environment for enhanced security of lives and properties and for the conduct of legitimate maritime commerce.
The naval spokesman’s statement reads: “The Nigerian Navy (NN) has noted with dismay the unscrupulous activities of some impostors and self-acclaimed maritime security outfits which make use of naval uniforms and accoutrements including uniforms that resemble naval uniforms to deceive, harass, intimidate, and defraud unsuspecting members of the public. Some of these outfits go as far as selling recruitment forms to the public and even conduct secret recruitment exercises and training. The activities of these impostors and miscreants are observed to be on the rise notwithstanding the proscription order of the Federal Government of Nigeria official Gazette No. 58 Vol 100 titled “The Dissolution and Proscription of Certain Associations Order, 2013,” banning all such firms/outfits. The Order in Paragraph 2 states: “As from the commencement of this Order, the dissolved and proscribed associations shall not be formed into any new associations by whatever name or title, within the meaning of this Order.”
