Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has urged the National Assembly to constantly review the Suppression of Privacy and Other Maritime Offences Act 2019 (SPOMO Act).

According to him, this is to eliminate piracy attacks and other crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.

Mr Dipeolu made the appeal at the ninth edition of the Lagos International Maritime Week 2024, held in Lagos on Wednesday.

The SPOMO Act provides a comprehensive legal framework for addressing maritime insecurities.

It empowers law enforcement agencies to investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of maritime crimes and other related offences.

Mr Dipeolu said the introduction of complicit laws could affect periods of judgement as the SPOMO Act had come to stay, adding that Nigeria would be the first to reckon with regarding safety on Martine and Blue Economy.

Mr Dipeolu said Nigeria had taken the lead in promulgating the SPOMO Act, which helped reduce piracy and other crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.

He said the federal government, in conjunction with counsels, ensured the timeliness of maritime cases due to the sensitivity of the profession.

Mr Dipeolu pleaded with counsels to avoid technicalities which delayed matters before the court.

“The federal government also established Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which covers arbitration, mediation and consideration and they take less time. Government should engage maritime judges in constant conventions to improve speedy approach of maritime cases,” Mr Dipeolu said.

Also, the president of Maritime Arbitration of Nigeria (MAAN), Bodunrin Adewale, encouraged professionals to engage in arbitration training to complement the federal courts’ efforts to reduce the time of approach to court cases.

He said reducing piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea would facilitate trade and allow more cases for arbitrators to handle.

Mr Adewale, a panellist at the programme, urged the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to invest more in infrastructure to facilitate trade and reduce business time within Nigeria and the West and Central Africa region.

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof

Two leading books on electronic evidence by Hon. Justice Professor Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Rtd., PhD, FICMC, are now available for purchase. The publications, Electronic Evidence (Second Edition), With The Evidence Act, 2011 and Compendium Of Cases On Electronic Evidence, Volume II, 2020–2025, provide practical guidance, legal analysis and recent judicial authorities on electronic evidence in Nigeria.Order directly from the author here: https://velvety-cendol-7387ed.netlify.app/ _______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. _______________________________________________________________________