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ABUJA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria is seeking to enact an anti-piracy law to reduce the activities of pirates and other maritime offenders in the country, an official said Monday.
When enacted, the West African nation will be the first African country to have a dedicated anti-piracy law, said Dakuku Peterside, director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Peterside told reporters in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil hub and the capital of the southeastern state of Rivers, that the agency is now pushing for quick passage of the executive bill.
The draft has already been forwarded to the federal ministry of justice, he said.
According to the official, the Nigerian government has been working to sanitize and strengthen the maritime sector for economic growth.
He said by this approach, Nigeria would raise the bar on surveillance and intelligence in the Nigerian waters. Enditem
