The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Naval

  • Sea robbers kill naval rating in Bayelsa

    •Rifle stolen

    Gunmen suspected to be sea robbers have shot dead a Naval rating in Akassa, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    The gunmen reportedly killed the rating at a new waterway checkpoint established by the Forward Operating Base (FOB), FORMOSO, to check the rising crime rate in the area.

    The three hoodlums were said to have opened fire on the Navy crew on a routine stop-and-search operation on Saturday morning and killed the rating.

    It was learnt that the Naval rating flagged down the boat carrying the gunmen.

    On approaching the checkpoint, the gunmen were said to have raised their hands, in compliance with the security regulations on the waterways.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said the rating searched and cleared the boat, oblivious that guns were concealed in the vessel.

    “The hoodlums were already clear to leave the checkpoint. The rating had left them to clear a passenger boat behind them.

    “It was at that point the sea robbers brought out their rifle and shot the rating. After shooting him, they collected his rifle and fled into the creeks,” the source said.

    The remains of the unnamed naval rating, said to be attached to the FORMOSO, has been recovered and deposited at an unnamed morgue in Brass.

    Pirates have been unleashing terror on travellers on the waterways.

    The Commanding Officer of FOB FORMOSO, Captain A. S. Olanrewaju, declined to comment on the matter.

    But a Navy source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident.

    “One of our ratings was killed by sea robbers at a new checkpoint in Akassa. The checkpoint was established recently, following outcries among the residents in the area about the increasing activities of sea robbers and pirates. We are going to fish out the killers,” he said.

    Governor Seriake Dickson recently inaugurated the Local Government Chairmen/Coordinators for the Bayelsa State Waterways Security Patrol Task Force to curb criminality.

    The governor gave them a mandate to feed security agencies with community-based intelligence on criminal activities.

    He urged them to liaise with community leaders in their various local government areas to gather information on criminal acts, such as sea piracy, crude oil theft, kidnapping, illegal refineries.

    Dickson noted that in the last two months, there had been an upsurge in security breaches, especially in the East and Sentral senatorial districts.

  • Two naval ratings killed

    Two naval ratings have been killed by sea pirates in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, it was learnt yesterday.

    The killings were said to have occurred when the sea pirates were operating on the high sea and dispossessing passengers coming from Calabar in Cross River State of their belongings.

    Eyewitnesses said the sea pirates stumbled on the naval officers, who are members of the Joint Task force, patrolling the high sea and shot them.

    Commercial activities on the sea route of Oron and the popular international market at the beach were disrupted as a result of the incident.

  • Six held for ‘impersonating’ Naval personnel

    It was the end of the road yesterday for six impersonators of naval personnels who were nabbed by men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Wey in Lagos.

    The suspects, including the son of a policeman; dismissed naval rating and an employee of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) were paraded at the Navy Town, Ojo by NNS WEY’s Commander, Commodore Ignatus Iliya.

    Aliu Jubril; Usman Shehu; Imily Victor; Mohammed Yahaya; and Anyanwu Chimezie, Iliya explained were caught with military uniforms (including navy’s), identity cards, caps during the ongoing raid to flush out fake naval personnels who extort money from unsuspecting members of the public.

    Iliya said: “Shehu who, is supposed to be a member of staff of NPA had two identity cards; one for NPA and another for Navy. I do not know what he is doing with them. Nemesis caught up with him as he was driving through our gate and identified himself as a Lieutenant and even showed his identify card.

    “But the eagled eye operatives spotted him with another identity card bearing NPA and when he was subjected to questioning, he could not give reasonable reply. He was subsequently arrested and when his apartment was searched, incriminating documents were recovered.

    “Imily was arrested in complete Navy uniform at Okokomaiko. During investigation, he mentioned some of his friends that were involved. One of them is Amaechi, who is currently at large. When we got to his house, we found both Naval and Army uniform including other items. “Among the recovered items were pictures of him in complete Navy uniform and where he posed with serving Military personnel, apparently to deceive people.

    “What he does is to catch in on any occasion organised by serving military personnel and would end up taking shots of himself and them.

    “Yahaya has been parading himself as Peter, Paul, John and Nasiru. He said he was a Christian but converted to Islam. He was arrested in a Navy pull over and combat trouser, in Navy quarters, inside Navy town.

    “He came to visit a rating who we are currently on the look out for. When his phone contact was scrolled, we contacted one Jubril to come and identify him and when he came, he was arrested. During investigation, he was discovered to be a dismissed rating who was teaching Jubril the norms in the Navy.

    “Chimezie, otherwise known as simplicity, was also arrested in complete Navy uniform. What gave him away was when he paid homage to a subordinate inside our barracks, which is never the case.”

    The suspects, according to Commodore Iliya, would be handed over to the police for prosecution.

    But some of the suspects denied being impersonators. They insisted that they are members of the Merchant Navy.

    Yahaya, whose father is a retired policeman, claimed that he bought navy regalia at Cotonou, Benin Republic for N3, 500.

    “I admit I am wrong because I am not naval personnel. I only use the uniform whenever I am ridding my motorcycle to avoid being stopped by policemen. I started using it this year and did not consider using police uniform because even policemen who ride motorcycle use military uniforms.

    Usman, the NPA staff said he also works as a Merchant Navy personnel, adding that he made the navy identity card after listening to a friend’s advice.

    “I am a staff of NPA and also a Merchant Navy. I was on board a ship when somebody came and suggested that there was need for us to do Navy identity card, that the Navy and NPA work hand-in-hand. That was how I got the Navy identity card. But I did not know he was lying,” he said.

    For the dismissed rating, Jubril, he was a victim of circumstance because he was not directly involved.

    “I got a call from one Biu that my friend, Nasiru was admitted at the Nigerian Navy reference hospital, Navy town. I rushed there only to discover that he was arrested for impersonating a naval rating.

  • Naval medical mission makes Otuoke people happy

    Dame Patience Jonathan Square in Otuoke, President Goodluck Jonathan’s hometown, was a beehive Tuesday last week. Many residents trooped to the square to partake in a medical rhapsody organised by the Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy.

    It was a case of who heard should tell another. In a twinkle the entire town was saturated with the information that the medical team of the Navy was on ground. Teenagers, pregnant women, women, men and elders including children soon rushed and occupied the seats at the square.

    The free medical exercise was organised as part of the Navy Week to mark the 58th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy. Experts in dental care, eye care, reproductive health, pharmacy, laboratory, and sexual health were not in short supply.

    Different medical stands immediately sprung up. Beneficiaries started by consulting a doctor who received their medical complaints. They went for medical tests. They tested for HIV/AIDS, blood sugar, High Blood Pressure (HBP), malaria and hepatitis. Others were asked to do dental and optical examinations.

    After the results were produced by the laboratory technicians, the doctors prescribed drugs and the beneficiaries headed for the dispensary. There were a range of drugs to cover treatments within the scope of the exercise. Persons whose ailments were beyond the scope, were given referrals to hospitals that could handle their cases.

    But before the medical tests and treatments commenced, experts in various fields were invited by the Navy to offer free health lectures to the residents. Many health practitioners gave talks on a wide range of health related issues such as reproductive health, substance abuse, visual impairment, among others.

    In her lecture, state Coordinator, Family Planning, Dr. Mary Ogholi, spoke on reproductive health with emphasis on barrier method. She hammered on the need for people to abstain from unsafe sex. Her lecture dwelled on the significance of condom in healthy living.

    She debunked some sentiments that had discouraged some persons from using condom. For instance, she dispelled the belief by some persons that condom usage does not guarantee maximum pleasure in sex.

    She insisted that there is only a slight difference in enjoyment when people engage in sex without condom. But she maintained that the difference is compensated with peace of mind and good health.

    According to her apart from preventing the users from contracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), condoms are also very useful in preventing unwanted pregnancies and for family planning.

    She clarified the beliefs in some quarters that condoms could go into the womb and constitute a risk for women. She said it was false to say that the woman’s vagina does not have end.

    Ogholi said: “Woman’s vagina has an end. The myth that condom can go into the womb is not correct. If you do not want an unwanted pregnancy or contract viral and bacteria infections, your sure bet is to use the condoms.

    “However, one condom is meant for one round of sex only. Using the condoms give you rest of  mind. Also, some people say it is not enjoyable to use the condom. I also dispute this assertion. The difference between condom and without condom use is very insignificant.”

    She also warned those who drink the spermatozoa to desist from it, saying it was erroneous to believe that one could get nutrients from it.

    Also, Ephraim Sobito, a medical practitioner with the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, counselled Nigerians against substance abuse.

    He said abuse of substances such as gin, drugs, antibiotics, narcotics and others posed health risks, stressing that many had been sent to their early graves because of such abuses.

    Sobito said another far-reaching implications of substance abuse were depression, wrong association, and the risks of engaging in unprotected sex and thereby contracting terminal diseases.

    On her part, Dr. Obiageli Azubuike, lectured the residents on the causes of visual impairment. She advised against too much intake of sugar, saying it could lead to diabetes, which would in turn result in visual impairment, stroke and other attendant diseases.

    She also recommended the use of sunglasses especially when the sun is too harsh, saying that excessive sun ray could damage the eyes.

    She further recommended regular eyes check, noting that it was a panacea for detecting quickly if one was suffering from eye defects.

    A resident, Chief David Ibeh, commended the Navy for the programme, advising other institutions to emulate the Navy.

    “I am very happy. It is a good thing that has happened to my people. We thank the Navy for choosing our place to be one of their engagements. We have a lot of drugs, doctors here. They are testing everything, “ Ibeh said.

    The Navy health experts worked alongside health officials from the state’s Ministry of Health and practitioners from health based non-governmental organisations during the exercise.

    Shedding light on the Navy outreach programme, Chairman, Organising Committee and representative of the Flag Officer Commanding, CNC, Navy Capt. Salihu Jibril, said the health programme was part of the activities to celebrate the Navy’s 58th anniversary.

    He said it was customary for the security outfit to perform some civic responsibilities during the Navy Week.

    He stressed that this year’s celebration was targeted at health because of itsix portable to the people.

    Jibril said: “This health rhapsody is organised wherever we are domained that requires help. The idea is to go round and give the community or area we have chosen some health awareness, testing and drugs.

    “As you can see, before we started administering tests and treatment, we had given them lectures on safe sex, STIs, STDs, family planning, hypertension and a whole lot of other ailments. From that point, they will be better educated on lifestyles and how to live a healthy life.”

    He urged the residents to embrace the health programme and see it as an opportunity to get themselves tested and treated free of charge.

    He said persons with challenges above the scope of the programme would be referred to the appropriate health facilities.

  • Naval officer allegedly kills tanker driver in Lagos

    Anger, protest and lamentations on Friday  greeted the alleged shooting of a tanker driver along   the Oshodi-Apapa Express way in Lagos by a Naval personnel.
    The alleged killing is coming at the heels of warnings against indiscipline issued by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin and Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade to naval personnels.
    The protesters, who blocked the Warehouse bus stop area of the Expressway burning tires and causing gridlocks, were said to have taken to the streets after a yet-to-be identified naval personnel gunned down the tanker driver for “refusing to give him bribe.”
    The incident was said to have occurred at the early hours of Friday, around Trinity -Warehouse Bus Stop in Apapa Lagos.
    The news, which first broke on the social media according to eyewitnesses, resulted after the killer-officer shot sporadically in the air and in the process, killed the deceased.
    However, the Nigerian Navy (NN) has urged Lagosians to provide useful information that can lead to the identification and arrest of the suspect.
    Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Ovenseri Uwadiae appealled to the masses to be calm as investigations were underway to unravel the perpetrator of the act and bring him to justice.
    He said: “It is true that there is an allegation that a naval personnel was involved in an altercation with a tanker driver and in the process, shot the conductor.
    “We must say that the incient is highy reprehensible because human life is involved.
    “We have commenced investigation into the matter to ascertain if the suspect is truly a naval personnel. We want to assure the general public that the NN has a reputation of not covering up its personnel involved in illegalities.
    “The suspect would be fished out and if truly a naval personnel, he shall be made to face the wrath of the law. We appeal to the public to remain calm and maintain peace and order as well as allow proper investigation to take place.
    “We also appeal to the public to provide us with useful information that will unravel the suspect as well as the true occurrence, to help us know who did the shooting and whether the person is our personnel.
    “While we are doing our investigation, the police is also doing an independent investigation because as the defendant in the matter, the NN want the true position of things to be made known to the public.
    “The incident is really sad because human life was involved. The CNS is someone that is highly disciplined and he would be the last person to cover up any personnel that engages in illegality, talk more of killing another citizen unlawfully.
    “The information got to me at about 8am that the Liverpool-Trinity roa was blocked by tanker drivers alleging that their member was shot by a naval personnel.
    “They burnt tires and blocked the entire road, and so, the police was deployed to the area to restore peace.
    “I have been in touch with the Commissioner of Police! Umar Manko and he has contacte the Area Commander and DPO. The corpse is in the custody of the police, it would be wrong for the navy to take it since the allegation is against us.
    “The police as a neutral authority, would be incharge though we are also carrying out our own investigation.
    “We are yet to get the details of the incident, that is why we are urging the public to come forward with useful information. I did not hear about the bribery allegation, neither were we told it involved Operation MESA.”
    On the efforts of the navy to ensure that such occurrences are nipped in the bud, Uwadiae said the CNS has remained committed to building civil-military relations.
    “The NN belongs to Nigerians and was created to protect Nigeria. So, the creation cannot fights its creator. We are a people oriented navy and in every fora, we always tell our men to be friendly and law abiding,” he said.

  • One of the contenders for my girl’s heart is a naval officer married to a German woman

    Please Aunty Ineed your advice. I’m 32, in love with a 19-year-old girl. The problem is that when I talked to her, she told me she loves me but she has two men in her life. The first guy is her secondary school boyfriend, he is 23yrs, learning a trade and he was the one that dis-virgined (deflowered) her when she was 18. The other guy is a navy officer and he is 50 years old, married to a German woman with a kid and he intends to marry her.  Aunty this girl promised to marry me, but I must give her some time to leave the other two guys since I don’t have a good job after my OND and her family does not have money and I want her to go to school and have her OND she must go out with them so as to get the money she needs for her school. Aunty I am confused what should I do now?

    Dear brother, they say the patient dog eats the fattest bone. In your own case, I doubt if there would be any bone left to eat at the end of this girl’s OND o. The naval officer is eating his own bone and the other guy too is having his fill and if you look at it, both of them have the right to eat as much as they can. The naval officer is obviously the one paying most of her bills while she has fond memories of the other guy, so they’re share holder. Smart girl; she has told you that she can’t leave any of them because of their contributions to her life, so the choice is yours to make.

    If you were my brother, I’d be so shocked that you could still be thinking of waiting for her after her revelations! You’re indeed a patient man. Just be warned the naval officer won’t be this patient if he finds out about you and the other girl. And as for the poor woman in the man’s life who has to share her man with a girl who shares her bed with other man, I can only pray she doesn’t get infected along the line.

    There are so many good girls out there who would work extra hard to make extra money for school fees. Not all girls are dogs so it doesn’t have to be this girl even if she is the most beautiful woman alive. Watch it o.

  • Naval incapacity

    Naval incapacity

    • How can the Navy perform if it is underfunded?

    OIL thieves who exploit the country’s territorial waters may continue to enjoy business as usual, based on the premise that the Nigerian Navy is allegedly incapacitated by underfunding.

    This is the distressing deduction to be made from the observation of Senator Chris Anyanwu, on why the naval force cannot prevent oil theft. Anyawu is Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy.

    The lawmaker who represents Imo East in the Senate told reporters that the navy needs more funds to police the country’s territorial waters and effectively combat oil thieves.

    According to her, “You need to have the right vessels to give them a chase. We have to be present and dominate every inch of our territorial waters, and this is massive, one third of our landmass. It will take a lot of money to equip our navy.”

    It is shameful that the navy is reportedly ill-equipped for its statutory maritime security responsibility, which must raise questions about how much the force gets for its activities and how the funds are spent. That the navy is badly underfunded sounds astonishing and deserves clarification from the authorities, considering the fact that government agencies are known to have made huge maritime security deals with some former Niger Delta militia leaders. It is ridiculous that these individuals were given priority over the navy.

    These include the controversial partnership between Global West Vessel Specialist Agency (GWVSA), headed by ex-militiaman Government Ekpemukpolo, alias Tompolo, and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). It was called “Strategic Concessioning”, and was defended by the government against public criticism that it threatened to undermine the navy. The official defence was that Tompolo’s company would only provide platforms, security boats, equipment and expertise to help in securing the country’s waterways and thereby raise revenue; and its staff will not bear arms.

    Also, some prominent ex-militiamen, including Tompolo, enjoyed multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). These dubious arrangements have since been exposed for what they are.

    The government’s contentious efforts to mollify the ex-militia leaders amounts to short-changing the navy, and constituted a disservice to national security. Obviously, it would have made far more sense, and would have been more productive, to spend all that money to improve the navy, rather than enriching some individuals.

    For an important oil-producing country that depends substantially on earnings from the sale of the natural resource, it is objectionable that Nigeria continues to record significant loss of revenue as a result of oil theft, with negative consequences for socio-economic development.

    Senator Anyanwu brought a historical perspective to the issue, making it even more worrying. She said: “The issue of oil bunkering, oil theft and pipeline vandalism is not a new development. As a correspondent with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), I did a special documentary on bunkering. I remember a scene when I went to Port Harcourt and they took me to some waters and showed me men in canoes drilling holes in the pipeline to draw crude oil or refined oil. That was in the ‘80’s. These things have been there, growing incrementally.”

    Since the navy’s reported incapacity to tackle oil-theft is not a fresh development, it would be rather simplistic to overlook the possibility of collusion and official corruption. However, the authorities should provide the wherewithal that the navy needs to successfully perform its marine security function comprehensively.

  • Naval chief woos Customs

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, has called for a joint patrol with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to secure the borders.

    He spoke when he visited the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, in Abuja.

    “It is my belief that in the nearest future we will be able to extend our level of partnership by exercising joint patrols as appropriate within a clearly defined operational command and control structure,” he said.

    Ezeoba said the Navy is constitutionally required to assist the Customs in the en-forcement of customs laws and regulations.

    He added that within the context of the emerging challenges, the two organisations needed to “strike a chord of strategic partnership’’ to help discharge their duties effectively.

    The naval chief said it was common knowledge that security agencies tend to exercise authority “within their comfort zone.”

    He, however, cautioned that such practice did not augur well for the required synergy between security agencies.

    He requested Customs to train naval officers on items on the import prohibition list.

    The training, he said, would enable naval officers on patrol on the high seas to “know what to look out for, in what quantum and what defines other law infringements.”

    Ezeoba, who commended Dikko for the ongoing reforms in the NCS, said the Navy has a lot to learn from his experience.

    Dikko pledged that the Customs would continue to work with the Navy, particularly in the area of operations and training.

    He said both security agencies had enjoyed very “cordial and good relationship.”

     

  • Jonathan appoints new CDS,Naval and Air Chiefs

    Jonathan appoints new CDS,Naval and Air Chiefs

    President Goodluck Jonathan has approved new appointments in the Armed Forces.

    According to a statement by residential spokesman, Reuben Abati on Thursday Vice Admiral O.S. Ibrahim (Kwara) was appointed the new Chief of Defence Staff, while Rear Admiral D.J Ezeoba (Delta) was named Chief of Naval Staff.

    Air Vice Marshall A.S. Badeh (Adamawa) is the new Chief of Air Staff

    The incumbent Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. O.A. Ihejirika (Abia) retains his position.

    President Jonathan thanked the outgoing service chiefs for their meritorious and commendable service to the nation and wisheed them well in their future endeavours.