Cooperation amongst various government agencies can be key to achieving maximum maritime security enforcement. This was the theme running through the latest national table-top exercise on maritime security, held in Lagos, Nigeria (14-16 March). Representatives from various government agencies which form the national implementation committee for the International ship and Port Facilities Security (ISPS) Code participated in the workshop.
The findings and recommendations from this exercise will help form the basis of a maritime security strategy. This forms part of a project to strengthen the Nigerian Criminal Justice response to maritime crime threats which IMO is delivering in conjunction with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), supported by funding from the Government of the United Kingdom.
The table-top exercise was conducted by two IMO consultants and organized in conjunction with Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and aimed to build on a maritime security training programme which IMO delivered in Nigeria from 2015-2017.