The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chief of Naval Staff

  • Navy plans fresh strategies to counter militancy

    Navy plans fresh strategies to counter militancy

    The Nigerian Navy has formulated fresh strategies to flush out militants from the Niger Delta region and end ongoing attacks on oil installations.

    It was gathered that the strategies when fully implemented would enable the navy through their formations in the region to gather intelligence on planned attacks and stop their execution.

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral, Ibok-Ete Ibas, and his team of senior officers were in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Monday, to tour formations of the Central Naval Command (CNC) in preparation to roll out the new order.

    Ibas in company with the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), CNC, Rear Admiral Mohammed Garba and unit commanders of CNC assessed military hardwares and the readiness of the command to tackle security challenges in its Areas of Responsibility (AoR).

    Ibas spent time to evaluate equipment at the Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) SOROH; naval gunboats at the Government House jetty and later received briefs on challenges facing the CNC.

    He further went to the Brass Island where he was conducted round the naval installations at a major command base of the CNC, the Forward Operational Base, FORMOSO.

    Ibas, who paid a courtesy visit to the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, said the tour was aimed at getting all the formations in the region ready to professionally and effectively key into the strategies of riding the region of criminally and militancy.

    As part of the fresh strategies he said the navy identified all the flash points in the region and was creating mobile stations to stop illegal activities of criminals and militants.

    He said more areas had been identified along the waterways for the establishment of checkpoints and naval security posts.

    He said: “The Navy came into the state about five years ago. I am also aware that the presence of the Navy has changed the maritime security landscape of the state and indeed the Niger Delta area in fighting maritime crime which is of concern to all well-meaning Nigerians.

    “I want to assure you that the Nigerian Navy together with our sister security agencies will do all within our powers to ensure that we create an enabling environment that will allow for legitimate use of maritime space.

    “I wish to use this forum to commend the state for its logistics support to the Navy. We have expanded our bases and units now to create mobile stations which enable us to be closer to the people and to tackle maritime crimes. We are also in the process of creating additional checkpoints to cover flash points in the region.”

    Ibas said he was able to appraise and evaluate the security architecture on ground adding that the Navy had enhanced its operational capacity by acquiring more gunboats that had been allocated to various units.

    He also said that the Navy had been able to put in place, infrastructure to support its operations in various bases and units.

    He said the navy conducted training both locally and abroad to prepare the personnel to be able to man the various equipment in place.

    He said: “We are hoping that when we put all these together, the Navy is going to be more proactive in delivery of services and with the various exercises we are conducting,  we will be able to rid Bayelsa State and the maritime environment of the criminal elements in the region”.

    He commended Dickson, who was represented by his Deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) for his support to the CNC and congratulated him on his electoral victory at the Supreme Court.

    He disclosed that the governor provided 100 hectares of land for the navy to build a permanent site for NNS SOROH.

    Ibas further said the navy was planning to establish its welfare school in the state to contribute to learning and strengthen military-civilian relationship in the state.

    But the naval chief appealed to the governor and other governors in the region to play their roles in ensuring peace in the Niger Delta region.

    Addressing the governor, he said: “The responsibility lies on those of you in government and security agencies.

    “While we commend you for your support, we are also asking you to appeal to Bayelsans to maintain the peace. Tell your people that development cannot come without security”.

    Responding, Dickson said his government was always determined to rid the state of criminal elements.

    He said his government was anchored on zero tolerance for crime and criminality.

    He said: “For Bayelsa State to be secured,  the waterways must be secured. That does not mean that we will leave the land.  We know that people go to river to harvest for land use.

    “But the area of harvest is where the contest is now and the national establishment that has the responsibility, resources and training to do that for the country is the Navy.

    “So, the Nigerian Navy needs the encouragement from all of us to ensure that the riverside areas and maritime environment are safe.

    “If we continue to collaborate more with sister security services, consistent with availability of logistics to carry out operations,  we are going to have a very peaceful Christmas. Again, even after Christmas,  we are going to sustain operations.”

    He appealed to the Naval authorities to create more of those mobile stations in the state, insisting that Bayelsa is “more riverine than Rivers State and more delta than Delta State”.

    Dickson said that his belief was hinged on the fact that if the security agencies and the relevant authorities continued in the same spirit, the state and the region would be rid of criminals.

  • Calabar waterways secure – Chief of Naval Staff

    Calabar waterways secure – Chief of Naval Staff

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok- Ette Ekwe Ibas, has expressed satisfaction with the security of the Calabar Waterways.

    Ibas, who was in Calabar for the annual shore inspection of Naval formations, promised that the Navy will continue to ensure that it introduces measures to ensure the security of the maritime domain in the country.

    Ibas, conducted round by the Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Naval Command (FOC), Calabar, Rear Admiral James Oluwole, pointed out that there are over 6000 creeks in the Niger Delta of which they have identified 37 that are navigable that criminal elements use for their activities.

    Ibas also said the Navy has a healthy relationship with the civilian populace.

    “The relationship with the civilian populace is quite okay. In the past, we have had issues with some of our civilian relations and friends. We have tasked to ourselves that every one of us in a way has a civilian relative or friend. If your father is not a civilian then your mother, or brother, sister and so on. Ours is to protect all Nigerians and not to have issues with them and that is what we are preaching as we go around,”

    The CNS also dialogued with Officers and ratings of the Command during the inspection.

  • Insurgency: CNS concludes visit to Lake Chad naval base

    Insurgency: CNS concludes visit to Lake Chad naval base

    The Chief of Naval Staff, (CNS) Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, has concluded his visit to the Naval Out Post (NOP) in Lake Chad Basin on the outskirts of Baga town, in Borno.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Navy’s Director of Information, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.

    Ezekobe said that the CNS concluded the visit on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the zone had been the hot bed of Boko Haram insurgency before the Nigerian military took control of the area.

    The director said that the CNS was informed that the insurgents had been routed out of their last strong hold of Malam Fatori.

    He also said that pockets of Boko Haram elements were on isolated islands on the Lake Chad.

    “The CNS inspected the temporary, accommodation site at the College of Fresh Water Fisheries at Baga as well as facilities at the temporary site at the Fish Dam 8km North-East of the College.

    “On arrival at Baga, the CNS was received by the GOC 8 Division, Brig.-Gen. Nani as well as the Commander, 7 Special Task Force, Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Saram.

    “The CNS was briefed on current activities in the general area of operations by the Commander, Special Task Force, as well as the Commander, Naval Out-Post Lake Chad, Navy Capt. D.D. Dangwel.

    “At the NOP site, the CNS was received by Alhaji Modu Musa, who is the Chief of Staff to Gov. Kashim Shettima of the state.

    “The Chief of Staff informed the CNS that the area used to be a trading base with links to Chad where several forms of commodities were traded,” Ezokobe said.

    He also said the Chief of Staff expressed optimism that a synergy with other security agencies would enable the Nigerian Navy to eliminate the remnants of the insurgents.

    According to him, this would help to restore Baga to its former position as a cross border trading post.

    The Commander, Naval Out-Post Lake Chad, Capt. Dangwell also informed the CNS of the wanton destruction that had taken place in the area

    This, he said, resulted to the disruption of not only essential support facilities but also all forms of telecommunications in the area.

    Ibas noted that the approach to the Naval Out-Post was challenged by very sandy terrain and requested the state to assist in making it motorable.

    The CNS, however, assured the community that the NN would help to improve security as well as provide relief materials to the people.

    Earlier, the CNS had been briefed by the Commander, “Operation Lafia Dole”, on the general security challenges in the North -East.

    NAN recalls that the Nigerian Navy had since established a Naval Base in the Lake Chad Basin.

    The service had also deployed special personnel to the area because of the activities of the insurgents, and to also rid the area of other criminal activities.

  • Abuja security is paramount to us – Minister

    Abuja security is paramount to us – Minister

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has given assurance that the FCT Administration will continue to support the security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory in order to effectively discharge their duties.

    Bello said this while receiving the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ekwe Ibas, who paid him a working visit on Monday in Abuja.

    Bello said that everything should be done to protect lives and property, adding that the security of Abuja is paramount to the FCT Administration.

    He stressed that Abuja, being the seat of government of Nigeria and the “window’’ through which the world viewed Nigeria, needed to be well secured.

    He said that no effort should spare to ensure adequate security of lives and property of both residents and visitors to the FCT.

    Bello emphasized that security agents were stakeholders in the Abuja project; stressing that the FCT Administration would continue to collaborate with them in this onerous task.

    The minister noted that his administration would partner with the Nigerian Navy to play its part to further secure the territory.

    “Although, the territory is not bounded by international waters which is the primary responsibility of the Nigerian Navy, still the, Navy has a role to play.

    “The presence of the Navy in Abuja which is the seat of power calls for closer collaboration between the FCT Administration and the Navy.”

    He urged the Nigerian Navy to liaise with other security agencies to make Abuja safer.

    He said this could be done by way of intelligence sharing, to nip in the bud any security breach.

    He said that the administration was working on modalities to ease the processes by which people could easily develop their plots.

    Bello said that the administration would make the entire process easier to forestall challenges that hindered smooth development for private, public and commercial plots.

    Earlier, the Chief of Naval Staff, requested the FCTA to assist the Navy perfect documentation, particularly title documents on its landed property in order to attract and partner with private developers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, Executive Secretary of FCDA and other top management staff of the FCTA attended the meeting.