Vice Admiral Abbas says dedicated tribunal will speed up prosecution of crude oil thieves and other maritime offenders.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, has called for the establishment of a special court to handle maritime crimes, saying it would fast-track the prosecution of crude oil thieves and other offenders operating in Nigeria’s waters.
Speaking on Channels Television, Abbas said lengthy court processes often force the Navy to spend significant resources maintaining seized vessels and exhibits pending the conclusion of trials.
According to him, a dedicated maritime court would accelerate justice delivery, reduce operational burdens on the Navy and strengthen efforts to combat illegal activities in the maritime sector.
The naval chief also highlighted improvements in maritime security, attributing recent gains to increased naval patrols, fleet recapitalisation and the deployment of modern surveillance technology.
Abbas noted that Nigeria has remained off the global list of piracy-prone countries since 2023 but stressed that regional cooperation remains essential, as security threats in neighbouring waters can easily affect the Gulf of Guinea and Nigeria’s maritime domain.