Fani-Kayode reacts to Buhari’s removal of Peterside as NIMASA DG

Nigerian Ruler, Muhammadu Buhari,  has approved the appointment of Bashir Jamoh as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

According to The Cable, Jamoh replaces Dakuku Peterside who was appointed in 2016 to head the maritime agency.

PUNCH quoted a source at the Ministry of Transportation, Abuja as confirming the development in a telephone interview.

Peterside’s tenure as NIMASA DG ends on March 10, 2020.

Peterside has been at the centre of controversy in recent times.

In February, the agency faced probe by the House of Representatives for allegedly failing to audit its account for six years.

Earlier in  December 2019, the Senate reportedly threatened to issue an arrest warrant against the former NIMASA DG over his refusal to honour an invitation of the Joint Committee on Navy, Maritime and Finance, to answer questions about the activities of a private security company and some government security agencies accused of collecting illegal fees for securing vessels at the Safe Anchorage Area.

On Tuesday, Peterside again incurred the wrath of the National Assembly by failing to appear personally in response to summons by the joint committee investigating activities of foreign vessel owners in Nigeria.

Those who went to represent NIMASA were sent out of the chamber.

NIMASA explained later in a statement signed by its Head, Corporate Communications, Isichei Osamgbi, that Peterside had been unable to honour the summons because he was hosting members of the House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, who came on an oversight visit to the agency.

The newly appointed DG is currently the Executive Director, Administration and Finance at NIMASA.

Reacting, a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode on Thursday in a tweet said: “Buhari has kicked out Rotimi Ameachi’s ally &southern Christian, Dakuku Peterside, &appointed yet another northern Muslim into a key position in his Govt.. His name is Bashir Jamoh from Kaduna state.Apart from being from a northern Muslim he is also the President’s in-law..1/2

“…I wonder how Buhari’s useful idiots and accursed slaves from the south feel about that? Even the few crumbs that he gave them are now being taken away. Poor lost souls.”