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he Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have commenced preparatory works to deploy a high-resolution magnetometer to validate the ongoing wreck removal exercise of identified wrecks listed for removal along the Badagry Creek in Lagos.
Director-General of the agency, Dr Bashir Jamoh, who disclosed this during a review session of the ongoing wreck removal exercise, stated that the agency is assessing the impact of the exercise on the marine environment.
“We shall also conduct a full bottom sweeping operation by deploying a sonar imagery system with a view to establishing any existing natural or artificial obstacles lying on the seabed within the area of survey for this phase of the wreck removal exercise.
“NIMASA is also taking into consideration the impact of the entire operations on the marine environment with a view to ensuring the safety of marine lives. We are monitoring the entire exercise closely to guarantee total removal of all identified wrecks,” he said.
According to the agency, among those wrecks already removed include a completely submerged barge lying over 10 meters deep along the Badagry channel on coordinates 711006.1 East and 535294.9 North,” he said.
The agency said it has also successfully removed two other completely submerged barges beneath the water at 530924.9 North and 710608.3 East.
“Another submerged barge, which has been lying along the channels on 711617.5 East and 533601.6 North has also been successfully removed and taken to the dump site located in Kirikiri, Lagos. These are among identified wrecks that have been removed along the creek from Tin-Can Island to Navy Town,” Jamoh said.
He NIMASA had worked with the Hydrography Department of the Nigerian Navy to identify these wrecks as critical, adding: “We worked closely with the Hydrography Unit of the Nigerian Navy in charting the waters and establishing these wrecks as critical for immediate removal. Some are completely submerged, while others are partially submerged.
“The Badagry creek is a commercial route with passenger’s vessels plying and we prioritise the safety of life and property. We are confident that on completion, operations of the Navy in patrolling the waters will also be enhanced as the routes will be free of wreckages,” he said.
