By Chinonye Anyatonwu
Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of The Courts of Appeal has commended Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for his exemplary leadership role in advancing the cause of adjudication and mediation in admiralty matters.
Speaking at the recently held Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) seminar for judges in Abuja, Justice Dongban-Mensem said Dr Jamoh is contributing immensely to keeping judicial officers abreast with relevant knowledge to handle maritime matters.
The Court of Appeal President who personally participated in a similar seminar for judges organised by NIMASA, added that the DG has set worthy examples for his peers, which has increased judges’ capacity to perform better.
Dr Jamoh’s impact touches on areas like timely and easier interpretation of Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act which aims at achieving a safer maritime domain; alternative dispute resolution in the maritime industry; limits of admiralty jurisdiction in Nigeria amongst others.
Under Jamoh’s watch and with NIMASA as an interested party, Nigeria recorded its first conviction of pirates using the SPOMO Act at the Federal High Court Port Harcourt in August 2020.
The convicted three persons were accused of involvement in the hijack of an Equatorial Guinean flagged vessel named, MV ELOBEY VI, off Equatorial Guinea’s coast.
