Criminals have found it difficult to operate in Owerrinta, an Abia State community on the Imo State border. That is because the Navy has its school of finance and logistics there.
Owerrinta is a travellers’ hub, a location from where transporters head Southwards or Southeast. The high volume of human and merchandise traffic have for year drawn all manner of characters to Owerrinta, a good percentage quite criminal.
But crimnality has ceased since the navy moved in, bringing peace to the bustling border community, which hosts several popular secondary schools.
One of the residents of the community who gave his name as Chima Njoku said that the presence of the navy in their community has given them a sense of belonging as they have impacted positively on their lives.
Njoku said that the people of the community has always made their naval hospital accessible for them while their pregnant women are given free treatment and free HIV/AIDS scanning.
From the community has also come more assurances from the navy on security, and not just for the community residents but for everyone else. The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Ibok Ibas, who came into town, said the Navy is determined to ensure adequate security along national territorial waterways.
Speaking during a visit to the Nigerian Navy School of Finance and Logistics Owerrinta, Abia state, Admiral Ibas said that the criminal acts on the waterways will soon be a thing of the past. He said that the navy has been mandated to handle all issues concerning criminalities along the waterways such as illegal bunkering, stealing of crude oil, and piracy among others.
The navy chief, who inspected ongoing projects in the school, warned criminals who have made the waterways their safe haven to steer clear or face the music. He noted that piracy, crude oil theft and other illegalities in the maritime environment have been a major source of revenue leakage for the country.
“We are determined to bring them to a halt,” he said.
The navy chief said the navy is prepared for war against maritime crimes.
“We are prepared and winning the war against maritime criminals, and there will be no hiding place for them under this administration”.
Admiral Ibas who spoke through the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command, Biola Mohammed, observed that the navy is determined to ensure that its personnel are given professional training.
He said, “We in the naval arm of the Nigerian military are determined to ensure that our officers and men are given both professional and military education to enable them perform their duty very well.”
“We give all strata of our men the best international standard training practices as is obtainable at any navy all over the world, therefore manpower development, professional ethics among others are our priority”.
He expressed happiness with the level of development in the school and urged them not to hesitate to bring to his notice anything that will be a clog in the wheel of progress in their education in the school.
Admiral Ibas also thanked the commandant of the school, Capt Abdulahi Aminu for the able way he and his men have been tackling the issue of criminals in the state and urged them to continue the good work.
Earlier in his welcome speech, Capt Aminu thanked the CNS for finding time out of his busy schedule to visit the school.
“Sir,” he said, “this shows that you have great regards for this school, the naval officers studying here and our host community”.
Capt Aminu promised that the school and the ratings and officers in the school will not let the navy and the federal government down as they are determined to do their work with the best international standard practices.