By Olubunmi ISOKPEHI, Lagos
In line with it’s statutory responsibility and mandate aimed to safe and secure the maritime domain, the Nigerian Navy has appointed Commodore Aliyu Gaya as the new Maritime Guard Commander of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. Commodore Aliyu Gaya takes over from Commodore Ezekiel Nyako Lamiri, who has been redeployed to the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Until his appointment Commodore Gaya was the Director of ECOWAS Multinational Maritime Coordination Center Zone E Cotonou Republic of Benin. He has held other military and command postings in various Naval Commands within and outside the country.
Commodore Gaya holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Masters degree in Defence Management Command and Strategy. He equally holds a certificate in Maritime Security and Transnational Organised Crime course from the Koffi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center Accra, Ghana
The Maritime Guard Command is a product of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy to foster a closer working relationship between both organs of Government in securing the Nigerian Maritime domain.
In his remarks, the Director General, NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh,reaffirmed, the Agency’s commitment to continuous collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other arms of the Nigerian Armed Forces to secure the country’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea by extension.
His words:. “The Agency will like to appreciate the Nigerian Navy for keeping with its tradition of always deploying very competent officers to the NIMASA Maritime Guard Command and ensuring safer maritime boundaries to the benefit of the country and the international community.”
