We’re no threat to national security, OMS tells Senate

 Fred Itua, Abuja 

The move to award contract to protect nation’s deep sea to an Israeli Company for $195 million stirred concerns in the Senate yesterday. A investigative by the Senate on the matter  became rowdy, as stakeholders in the nation’s waterways security disagreed sharply.

The Joint Senate Committee raised concerns over the fact that an Israeli vessel loaded with security officers and weapons was heading towards Nigeria to commence the implementation of the security contract.

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, who was represented by Navy Chief of Training  and Operations, Tarioworio Dick, at the public hearing, though confirmed the story, however informed the Committee that the Israeli security vessel would be mainly manned by Nigeria Navy.

But the management of Ocean Marine Solutions, (OMSL) has told the Senate that it was an accredited and highly respected Nigerian maritime security solutions provider that operates legally and operating in line with the law of the land.

According to OMSL, it has  operations centres at key strategic locations in Port Harcourt, Warri and Lagos and its activities are not and will never be threat to the country’s security, adding that what it does is of the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

Chairman of OMSL, Captain Hosa Okunbo described as unacceptable the dismantling of the SAA Contract agreement, adding that with his contribution to the development of Nigeria and with the resources put in, getting to know of NPA’s decision on the pages of newspapers, was  very insultive.

Captain Okunbo who took a swipe at the NPA for denigrating him and destroying his hard earned integrity, said, “OMSL  started in 2007 at the height of militancy where this country would have been producing less than 300barrels per day. Admiral Augustus Aikhomu late who was the first chairman of OMS and also who has been the chief of Naval Staff was the one that came up with this idea.

“At this time it was just an intervention and we wrote to the Navy In 2007, we bought only three vessels, we started this business with only three vessels because it was pertinent to open mistras which was short in 70,000 per day. There were bullet holes on shells EA field. Adax was attacked on daily bases and shell was going to close the whole of their eastern production.