The three-week ATA 6483 Maritime Interdiction of Terrorism Course, held at the Nigerian Maritime Resource Development Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos has came to an end.

The closing ceremony was marked by encomiums from various speakers at the event.

Course lead instructor, Mr. Rick Blebins, in his recap of the benefits of the training programme, described the course as intensive and also fun. He said course participants had started out as strangers, but at the end of the programme, they had become friends and established a relationship that would last them their respective careers.

Blebins urged the participants to deploy the knowledge they had imbibed so well during the training in the performance of their duties, noting that such contacts in law enforcement were critical to resolving inter-agency issues whenever such arise. He did not fail to urge the participants to endeavor to train others in the techniques the course had exposed them to.

Blebins, who had previously participated in a similar course in Nigeria, expressed some feeling of sadness that at the conclusion of this particular course he would return to America missing the friends he had made while the course lasted. He admonished participants to always keep in touch through their various contacts, just as he urged his students to seek his counsel whenever the need arises.

In his remarks, the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Temisan Omatseye, said that the Agency "is indeed delighted to have been a part of this well-executed and excellently-organized training programme."

Represented by the Acting Director, Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standards Department, NIMASA, Captain Ibraheem Olugbade, Omatseye expressed delight "that today's event is coming at a time when the Agency, in cooperation with the Nigerian Navy and a United States Technical Team is almost concluding the installation of equipment required for Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC) at this Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre."

The programme he explained is under the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and aims at enhancing the monitoring of vessels within Nigerian waters for safety, security and commercial purposes. "It is critical to note that technical and other forms of co-operation among maritime nations in a safe and secured environment enhance the potentials of individual countries to achieve their optimum in wealth creation and poverty reduction. The just concluded training programme is, therefore, welcome to Nigeria and we thank the Government of the United States deeply for this kind gesture", he stressed.

Also speaking, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Sarki Muktar (rtd), disclosed that activities during the course have been closely monitored and progress made appraised. "It is impressive to note how the participants were able to cope with the training as a cohesive team despite their diverse backgrounds," said Muktar, who was represented by a Director in the NSA's Office, Brigadier-General Bala Ali.

The NSA, while congratulating the trainees for successfully completing the course said, "What's more, I am impressed with your conduct during the programme as there was no adverse report on any of you. At this juncture, it is expected that you are now poised to effectively provide the much-needed maritime security against possible threat of terrorism and piracy. I will urge you not to rest on your oars but be ready to be deployed to where you will be required to bear, this experience and training you have just received."

Speaking too, the Regional Security Officer and Representative of the Diplomatic Security Service, United States Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Bryan Bachmann, urged the course participants to keep training constantly to amplify the basic tools provided them by the course, drawing an analogy to the knife that must be necessarily be sharpened regularly to retain its cutting edge.

"Don't rest on your oars, the National Security Adviser said. You've got to keep training. You've got the manuals. You've got the tools. Involve your colleagues, with your agencies; get them together and share what you learnt. If knowledge is not shared, then it doesn't do too much good," Bachmann exhorted.