The Nigerian Navy expressed concern over the increase in the number of illegal maritime security outfits in the country, adding that some of these security outfits use the uniforms of the Nigerian Navy while others use uniforms similar to the Navy. This was made known in a statement released on Friday by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan.
The statement reads in part, “The Nigerian Navy has noted with dismay the unscrupulous activities of some impostors and self-acclaimed maritime security outfits who make use of naval uniforms and accouterments 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.
“Nevertheless, their illegal activities have continued unabated in some parts of the country, particularly the South-South geopolitical zone.
“Pertinently, the proliferation of illegal maritime security outfits is worrisome and may worsen the scourge of insecurity in the country with likely grave impact on national security.”
The statement urged members of the public to forward the details of these illegal maritime security outfits in order to facilitate their arrest and also not to purchase recruitment forms of any of the proscribed outfits, adding that the Nigerian Navy does not sell recruitment forms to members of the public as is the practice of some of these impostors.
The Navy listed some of these illegal maritime outfits as follows; Nigerian Merchant Navy, Merchant Navy Maritime Academy, Nigerian Merchant Navy Coastal Defence Force, Maritime Security Agency, Nigerian Merchant Navy Coast Guard Security and Safety Corps, Nigerian Maritime Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Coast Guard, among others.