THE
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, yesterday
shut down Obat oil and gas facility
at Ibafon area of Apapa for
non-compliance of the International Ship and Port Facility Security, ISPS,
Code.
Confirming
the development, Head, NIMASA’s Public Relations department, Hajia Lami Tumaka
said that the facility was shut down for failing to comply with the Code,
adding that any facility that falls short of the agency’s expectation with
regards to the Code will also be sanctioned henceforth.
Tumaka told Vanguard that Obat will remain shut until every
requirement for compliance of the Code is met.
When Vanguard visited the premises of the firm yesterday,
the gates of t he company were firmly shut with the seal of NIMASA on the
sealed iron gates.
NIMASA,
it was gathered had given several warnings to some terminals and
facilities perceived to have fallen short of the compliance requirement long
before now.
It also
gathered that apart from the closure of the firm, it will also pay a
prescribed fine after every security deficiency would have been
corrected.
Speaking
on the development, Chairman of the Lagos Maritime Security zone of the Port
Facility Security Officers Forum, Mr. Suberu Anataku said that the issue of
Obat shut down was discussed at the forum’s meeting yesterday.
Anataku
however declined to discuss the matter any further until he makes contacts with
certain persons.
Speaking in a similar vein, a
maritime security expert, Mr. Lucky Aghomi told Vanguard that Obat along with other facilities found
it difficult to comply.
Aghomi
added that if NIMASA does not take action on non-complying facilities and
terminals, this could compromise the security of the port.
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