The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Navy

  • Navy destroys 1500 illegal refineries in Delta

    The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA has destroyed about 1500 illegal refineries with swamp buggy in the Delta creeks in the last two months.

    The Commander of the ship, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, disclosed this to newsmen in Warri on Wednesday.

    Swamp buggy is an amphibious vehicle used to traverse a swampy terrain.

    Dewu said the destruction exercise was carried out in the creeks of Otumara, Ogbegugu, Okpuku in the Warri creeks.

    He added that personnel of the command were currently on the Bennett Island in Warri South Local Government Area of the state in continuation of the exercise.

    He said that the perpetrators had devised means of preventing the soldiers and the swamp buggy from gaining access to the sites by blocking the entrances with logs or setting fire around the sites.

    The commander, however, said their antics would not deter the soldiers from carrying out their statutory obligation of completely eradicating illegalities in the maritime domain.

    “It takes us time to remove the logs for our men and the swamp buggy to have access but we are determined,” he said.

    He said the criminals’ activities were also contributing to the degradation of the ecosystem.

    “The antics of the criminal elements will not deter us from eradicating the illegality with the aide of swamp buggy which I believe will bring a lasting solution to economic sabotage.

    Read Also: Navy sensitises Delta community against oil theft

    ” We decided to apply swamp buggy because it is more environment friendly and difficult for the perpetrators to resuscitate the illicit business since their facilities are also crushed completely in the process.

    “Apart from that, we also do post-monitoring of the various sites we have destroyed to ensure that the criminals do not return to reactivate them.

    ” So far, the exercise has been successful and we will not rest on our oars until the illegalities are completely eradicated in our maritime domain,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in one of the operations on Bennett Island on June 12, the perpetrators set fire around the vicinity of the illegal refinery to prevent the soldiers from entering.

    The navy personnel then created alternative means for themselves, journalists and the swamp buggy to gain access and therefore, crushed the criminals’ equipment amid thick smoke and rain.

  • We’re coming after you, Navy tells rice smugglers

    Then Commander of the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Calabar, the Cross River State, Commodore Julius Nwagu, has said the command will go after rice smuggling kingpins to checkmate activities of economic saboteurs.

    Nwagu spoke yesterday in Calabar while handing over eight suspected smugglers, who were allegedly arrested with a large wooden boat laden with 3,434 bags of rice valued at over N61 million, to the Nigeria Customs Service (NIS) at the NNS Victory jetty.

    He said: “We are going to change our modus operandi. We will start digging into the activities of those who actually bring the rice and those who collect it as well as owners of the boats. We are going to start massive investigations into the main actors in this smuggling of rice into the country, especially from Cameroon into Calabar area. We are going beyond these boys who ride the boats. I warn the main culprits behind the smuggling that we are compiling their reports and we will come for them.

    “A local farmer cannot have it better than the Nigerian Navy seizing over 3,400 bags of rice that would come to compete with their rice produced locally. The Federal Government is encouraging the local farmer to produce rice and somebody somewhere believes that these farmers should not be encouraged.

    “This is the only way our people can benefit. So, we are happy seizing this rice for the sake of the farmers in Nigeria. The common man is on the farm toiling to get food on the table. Then, somebody somewhere comes in to smuggle large quantities of rice to thwart their efforts.

    “We are resolved to continue to sabotage the efforts of these smugglers because what they are doing is tantamount to bringing the nation to its knees. Food security starts from home and we cannot but help our people to improve their lives.

    “We intercepted a wooden boat from Cameroon loaded with 3,434 bags of rice valued at N61,812,000. Accordingly, the boat and eight men were arrested and brought to the base. We have offloaded and we are here to hand over, as our operational mandate permits, that when we make this kind of arrest, we should hand over to the Nigeria Customs Service. That is what we are here to do.

    “The maritime awareness capability of the Nigerian Navy is up and running. I advise perpetrators of these illegal activities, especially smuggling of rice into the country, that it cannot work in the Calabar area.”

    “The Chief of the Naval Staff is particular about this and so is the Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command. We are resolved in NNS Victory to ensure our mandate to police our waters effectively. We now have new boats added to the fleet. We are going to do more than we have been doing. I will advise the perpetrators of this act to have a rethink. It is not going to work. We are not jokers, saying we would catch you and we will not catch you. We are coming for you, no matter how highly placed.”

    Assistant Controller of Customs, Omachi Joshua, who represented the Eastern Marine Command base in Calabar, received the items and suspects.

    He said the items would be taken to the government warehouse and the suspects would be prosecuted.

  • Navy arrests eight, seizes 100, 000 litres of illegally refined diesel

    Men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Calabar, Cross River State, have seized 100, 000 litres of illegally refined automotive gas oil (AGO) popularly known as diesel.

    They also arrested eight suspects during the operation.

    Commander of NNS Victory, Commodore Julius Nwagu, said the arrests were made along the Calabar Channel when they got intelligence reports about the activities of suspects believed to be coming from Rivers State.

    Parading the suspects and seized items, which also included a large wooden boat known as Cotonou Boat at the NNS Victory jetty before handing over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Nwagu said the Navy will always be a step ahead of those perpetrating criminalities in the country’s maritime domain.

    He said the seized items were worth over N23 million.

    According to him: “I am here to hand over the suspects, the cargo and the Cotonou boats to the NSCDC to take over them in accordance with the extant regulations.

    “We are ever ready any time to go after criminals. If they do not want to hear and continue to perpetrate in this trade, we are here to collect it from them and arrest them.

    “The Nigerian Navy is a step ahead. Our maritime domain awareness is up and running. There is no hiding place for perpetrators.

    “Once you commit your resources to illegal and contraband products and you want to pass them through our maritime domain, be rest assured we are going to catch you. Any attempt they make, the Nigerian Navy is a step ahead.”

    Commandant Stephen Lar in charge of NSCDC, Cross River State Command, who received the suspects and items, appreciated Navy for the synergy in fighting criminality.

    He said they would carry out further investigations and prosecute the suspects.

    He said if they are convicted, the items would be forfeited to the federal government.

     

  • Navy, guards clash averted at Atlas Cove

    A clash between operatives of the Nigerian Navy (NN) and security guards,  was on Tuesday averted at Ilashe Island in Atlas Cove.

    Following footages of over 3,000 jerricans sighted by personnel attached to NNS BEECROFT during an aerial surveillance, naval operatives  went to the island to recover the jerricans but were violently resisted by the guards.

    As soon as the naval team got to the island, Topline Security guards numbering over 50, accused the service of hindering their operations.

    Although the guards claimed they seized the kegs and vehicles from vandals on Sunday night, The Nation observed that the five patrol vehicles looked old, abandoned and dysfunctional.

    The state of the vehicles also made the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Okon Eyo question the guards’ claim of impounding them at the wee hours of Sunday, which got them infuriated.

    Corking their guns, they threatened to shoot at the kegs containing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in order to cause explosion that would kill everyone.

    The guard  s, who exhibited their charms and weapons, said they were tired of threats from the navy, who they alleged, usually accused them of complicity in pipeline vandalism.

    They blocked the only entry/exit to the island, insisting that no one would leave and threatened to gun down reporters, who were fleeing to safety.

    Screaming “no more threats, no more work,” the hoodlums claimed that they were made to sign an agreement that they would be surcharged for each product siphoned from the island.

    Angered by the confrontation, NN personnel who went to the island with Commodore Eyo were ready for a face-off but they were cajoled by the Commander.

    Eyo, who ordered his men to retreat, told reporters that they were not in the island for needless casualty.

    He described as unfortuante, the attitude of the guards, adding that the navy would have a meeting with NNPC to ensure such was not repeated.

    He said the navy would also review the terms of their contract and establish if they were licenced to carry firearms.

    He said: “You all saw what happened at Ilashe, a riverine community that play host to an important facility of the nation , it is part of the NN responsibility to protect such facilities.

    “You saw for yourself how unruly those people were. They are personnel of Topline Security Company. They claimed to be engaged by NNPC to complement efforts of government security agencies in the island. I believe your guess is as good as mine whether the acts, attitude they displayed was complementary.

    “We had to exhibit maturity in the face of such provocation. We did not see the need for any engagement to record needless casualty especially because we had civilians among us who are not trained for situations like these. We had to manage the situation maturely but we would not allow that potential to continue.

    “Since NNPC was the one who contracted them, we would meet with them and bring up this issue. If we were to go on a confrontational part, they would say the navy came to disrupt their security arrangement and facility. So, even though we had reasons to mount an operation, we had to retreat.

    “But what is happening there cannot continue. We will find out the terms and conditions of their contract from NNPC because we saw some people bearing locally made weapons and dane guns. Although such categories of arms are allowed, bearers must be silenced. So, we will ascertain if they have licence and if their contracts include carrying weapons.

    “If the weapons are not part of the contract, we will do the needful. But if they are allowed to carry guns, we will ascertain the licences and then address their temperament and attitude because they are bearing arms. A lot of them are suspected to be under the influence of drugs and so, we have to clean up that island.

    “Matter of facts, that security outfit has proven to be more of a problem than a solution. From the look of those items and where we saw them, they did not appear like things that were brought there newly. It seems more like a base. They have been there and operate from that place.

    “Those vehicles have been there and are faulty. Maybe, that is their repair base and so, it could not have been vandals that brought those kegs there. You saw that some of those vehicles do not have tyres and so, did they carry them on their heads to that place? That should tell you what the company has been doing and we hope to get to the bottom of it.”

  • Navy, guards clash averted Atlas Cove

    But for the intervention of their commander, Navy personnel would have clashed yesterday with some workers of a private security firm hired by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to guard its facility on Ilashe Island at Atlas Cove.

    The naval men stormed the island to recover over 3000 jerrycans of petroleum products, which they sighted during aerial surveillance inside NNS Beecroft.

    But the Topline security workers stopped them, claiming that the naval men were there to disrupt their operations.

    The Topline guards claimed that they seized the kegs and vehicles from vandals on Sunday night, but the five patrol vans looked old, abandoned and dysfunctional.

    NNS BEECROFT Commander Commodore Okon Eyo questioned the guards’ claim of impounding vehicles in such state. His question got them infuriated and they corked their guns and threatened to shoot at the petrol filled kegs.

    The hoodlums, displaying charms and weapons, said they were tired of threats from the navy. The navy, they alleged, usually accused them of complicity in pipeline vandalism.

    They blocked the only entry/exit to the island, insisting that no one would leave. They threatened to shoot reporters, who ran for their lives.

    Screaming “no more threats, no more work,” the guards claimed that they were made to sign an agreement that they would be surcharged for each product siphoned from the island.

    In anger, the naval men wanted to fight back, but were restrained by Commodore Eyo.

    Eyo, who ordered his men to retreat, told reporters that they were not on the island for to fight.

    He described the guards’ action as unfortunate, adding that the navy would meet with NNPC to ensure that such did not recur.

    The navy, he said, would also review the terms of their contract and establish if they were licenced to carry firearms.

    He said: “You all saw what happened at Ilashe, a riverine community that play host to an important facility of the nation. It is part of the navy’s responsibility to protect such facilities.

    “You saw for yourselves how unruly those people were. They are personnel of Topline Security Company. They claimed to be engaged by NNPC to complement efforts of government security agencies on the island. I believe your guess is as good as mine whether the acts, attitude they displayed were complementary.

    “We had to exhibit maturity in the face of such provocation. We did not see the need for any engagement to record needless casualty especially because we had civilians among us who are not trained for situations like these. We had to manage the situation maturely but we would not allow that potential to continue.

    “Since NNPC contracted them, we would meet with them and bring up this issue. If we were to go on a confrontational part, they would say the navy came to disrupt their security arrangement and facility. So, even though we had reasons to mount an operation, we had to retreat.

    “But what is happening there cannot continue. We will find out the terms and conditions of their contract from NNPC because we saw some people bearing locally made weapons and dane guns. Although such categories of arms are allowed, bearers must be licenced. So, we will ascertain if they have licence and if their contracts include carrying weapons.

    “If the weapons are not part of the contract, we will do the needful. But if they are allowed to carry guns, we will ascertain the licences and then address their temperament and attitude because they are bearing arms. A lot of them are suspected to be under the influence of drugs and so, we have to clean up that island.”

  • Navy, others join forces against pirates

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday joined forces with her counterparts from West, Central African countries, China, France and Portugal in an exercise to rid the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) region of pirates, crude oil thieves, traffickers and other maritime criminals.

    The exercise, codenamed EKU KUGBE and organised by the NN as part of activities to commemorate its 62 anniversary, saw the deployment of 18 ships, two helicopters and a Nigerian Air Force  (NAF) Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) across the GOG to operationalise existing maritime security framework.

    Kicking off the exercise, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin said it was critical towards sustaining the resources and huge potentials of the GOG, which are constantly undermined by domestic, cross-border and transnational threats that limit economic development of the region with adverse political consequences.

    He said: “Major threats like piracy and attacks on shipping have become predominant in the region with negative consequences on the economy and overall wellbeing of GOG nations. The situation calls for measures to address it.

    “I am happy to note that within the limits of available resources, the NN has been focused and proactive in combating the myriads of threats and illegal activities in Nigeria’s maritime domain extending to the GOG. It goes without saying however that, the protection of resources and economic activities in the GOG is a collective responsibility of all nations in the region.

    “As a proactive measure, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have established maritime security mechanisms. To facilitate the goals of the security mechanism, regional navies would need to operationalise existing maritime security framework.

    “Exercise EKU KUGBE is therefore timely and instructive as it drives home, the importance of regional cooperation in confronting threats to our common interest. It would also foster the spirit of togetherness among regional and friendly navies in the task of restoring order in the GOG.”

    In his welcome address, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas said the NN deployed 12 ships and two helicopters, adding that Cameroon, Ghana, Togo, China, France and Portugal each sent one a warship for the exercise.

    “The NAF is also a participant with its MPA. The exercise is aimed at promoting regional cooperation and coordination for the enhancement of maritime security in the GOG, which is rich in both living and non-living resources, including oil and gas and fisheries.”

  • Improvement in crude production shows our success, says Navy

    The Navy has said improvement in the nation’s daily oil production output from 1.8 million barrels per day to 2.9 million barrels per day is an indication of its success in securing the maritime environment.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command (CNC) Rear Admiral Saleh Usman, spoke at the weekend while inaugurating projects executed by the Navy in Warri and Effurun.

    Rear Admiral Usman also kicked off the Medical Rhapsody, a free health care service for Ekpan community in Uvwie council, Delta State, in commemoration of the Navy’s 62nd anniversary.

    The projects include a rigging store house for shipping equipment and sports facilities, including badminton court and table tennis pavilion, at the base of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta and two staff quarters at the Navy Hospital in Effurun.

    Speaking at the Medical Rhapsody in Ekpan Secondary School, Rear Admiral Usman said besides the huge gains to Nigeria in terms of rising oil production, kidnapping and waterway robbery have reduced in the creek communities since he took office in January.

    “I resumed here in January and you can go and ask the communities how the waterways are between January and now. You can also ask the international oil companies how they are feeling today. Go and check the Internet and find out what the level of production of crude oil per barrels is today.

    “When I came here, the crude oil production per day was 1.8 million, but as we speak today, the crude oil production level per day has gone up to 2.9 million barrels per day.

    “I can also attest to the fact that since I resumed there has not been any major kidnapping incident in the river. There have been attempts but we have equally thwarted them. This is something we want to sustain and we cannot sustain it without the help of the community”, he said.

    Speaking on the Medical Rhapsody, the naval chief said the exercise was not new.

    He advised people in the area to always take good care of their health, stressing that high blood pressure is the No. 1 killer disease killing many before they are aware of it.

    Also speaking at the event, the Commander, Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, said the projects were part of the celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Navy.

    “On the sport facilities that we have inaugurated you all know that health is wealth and we want our men to be medically  fit to perform their duties better. This is why we built a badminton court and a table tennis table. This will enable our men take part in sporting activities after a hard day’s work. Secondly, the sport facilities are not only meant for  the Navy, it will equally serve others too”, he said.

    Responding on behalf of the Ekpan Community, the traditional head of the community, Chief Victor Otomiewo, commended the Nigerian Navy for the free medical service rendered to his people, appealing that the exercise should be conducted more frequently to enable the community fill the impact more.

     

     

  • Drivers hail Navy for clearing Apapa traffic gridlock

    Major marketers, tanker drivers and transport owners have praised the Western Navy Command for clearing the Apapa traffic gridlock.

    They said there was no longer a logjam on the highways leading into Apapa.

    A tanker driver simply identified as Mallam Ibrahim said since the Navy took over the operations, it has deployed an effective logistic strategy involving the use of call card signed by the commander for authentication of trucks due for loading and passage into the Apapa area.

    He said though there were problems, the system is working and as it has reduced the turnaround time for loading and delivery of products.

    Another tanker driver, Ahmed Issa, urged Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) officials to liaise with the concessionaire of Lillipond for a parking space that can contain thousands of trucks at once, to open the park for trailers that want to load from the ports instead of allowing them to pay demurrages and also park on the roads.

    NNS BEECROFT Commander Commodore Okon Eyo attributed the success to the cooperation of unions, drivers and major marketers in the area.

    He said it would be shameful to return to the traffic gridlock era.

  • Navy hailed for sanity on Apapa roads

    The Amalgamation of Truck Owners in the Maritime Industry yesterday praised the Nigerian Navy for the steps it took in addressing gridlocks in Apapa area of Lagos.

    Its Publicity Secretary, Oluwaseyi Taiwo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the action had restored sanity and brought great relief to residents and motorists.

    NAN reports that the Commanding officer, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Okon Eyo, had in March issued a 48-hour ultimatum to truck drivers to vacate the roads and bridges leading to Apapa port.

    As part of measures to end the gridlock, the Nigerian Navy introduced a “Call up Card System’’ for the trucks loading at Apapa ports.

    The call up card system allowed only trucks that had business inside the port, while those without call up cards were turned back at the foot of the bridge.

    Taiwo said the order had prevented mischief makers from taken advantage of the chaotic traffic situation.

    “Although the intervention may not be a permanent one, yet, it is a big relief to the road infrastructure in the state. The intervention is also a relief to everyone, but it is not over yet as there is still room for improvement,’’ he said.

    Taiwo recalled that the indiscriminate parking by trucks started during the 2006 Port Reform when trucks were pushed out of their designated parks inside the Apapa Port.

    “Apapa port used to have parking lots for trucks – Trailer Park A, B, C, D and E, – but were taken over during the concession exercise, and the Tin Can Island Port also has its own.

    “Now, without a provision for trucks to have a transit point, they are pushed to the streets. And considering the density of the ports too, things became complicated,” he said.

    Taiwo urged the government to look beyond the temporary solution to a permanent one by providing truck parks and automated loading system for truck owners.

    “Eighty to ninety per cent of the trucks coming to Lagos State have their own parks outside the state, but getting to Lagos, they need a place to park, like a transit park.

    “There should be a provision for a parking place for those coming into Lagos to park their trucks; this will discourage parking on the roads. Also there should be an automated loading system that will serve as call up system to inform the truckers when they have their appointment to load. In this age of GSM, things should be easier and people should be able to access their loading time through automation, this will reduce stress on the drivers too,’’ he said.

  • Navy intercepts vessel with 406 illegal immigrants

    •Returnees laments hostilities by Gabon

    Operatives of the Nigerian Navy (NN) have intercepted a foreign vessel carrying 406 West Africans deported by Gabon.

    The vessel, MV CHIMBA EXPRESS, was intercepted on Wednesday evening within Lagos waters, without clearance.

    According to the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Okon Eyo, the vessel was billed to arrive in Benin Republic, disembark passengers from that country, Togo, Mali and Niger before sailing to Calabar in Cross River to drop off Nigerians on board.

    Eyo said it would be plausible to conclude that the vessel’s agenda was to dump the passengers in Nigeria, since it aborted the original passage plan.

    Eyo said: “MV CHIMBA EXPRESS is a cargo/passenger vessel that regularly traverses parts of West and Central Africa through countries such as Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe among others.

    “The vessel departed Gabon laden with cargo, regular and deportee passengers of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger and Malian nationalities. It was scheduled to arrive in Benin to disembark both regular and deportee passengers from Benin, Togo, Mali and Niger, and thereafter proceed to Calabar to disembark Nigerian deportees, regular passengers and their cargoes.

    “However, in a twist of event, the vessel arrived in Lagos bar on April 25. The vessel had about 406 persons on-board from Togo, Benin, Niger, Mali and Nigeria.

    “The total number of Nigerians on-board and whether or not the vessel did berth in Benin is yet to be confirmed, but will be determined shortly. Among the Nigerians are 18 deported returnees.”

    Although the vessel’s charterer, Mubashiu Lawal, a Beninnois, had claimed they contacted port control for permission to enter Lagos, Eyo said the navy saw no evidence to that effect.

    He said: “This was yet to be granted as at the time of their arrest and it was also gathered that the international passports of the passengers were with the agents, who claimed to be processing them.

    “It was also obvious that there was no formal contact at governmental levels for the delivery of the deportees or returnees. However, there is unconfirmed report that the Nigerian Embassy in Libreville was aware of the deportation.”

    The commander said efforts were made to determine the history-trail of the vessel, using the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC), which showed that it did not operate an active Automatic identification System (AIS).

    “Additionally, the Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) obtained from the ship’s documents indicates that it has no MMSI.

    “When searched with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number, the vessel’s identity was displayed as RAMADAN IV and classified as a passenger vessel registered in HONDURAS with a tonnage of about 677. This information about the class of the vessel and tonnage matched that of CHIMBA EXPRESS,” he said.

    “MV CHIMBA EXPRESS’ gross tonnage is about 677 tonnes. The international law mandates vessel of more than 350 tonnages to install AIS on-board, which shows it was operating in violation of the law.

    “MV CHIMBA EXPRESS visual identity was also found to be mismatched with its registered name which was identified as RAMADAN IV.

    But Nigerian returnees onboard the vessel accused Gabonese government of maltreatment and hostilities towards them, claiming they were dumped with criminals for days without food nor water.

    Among Nigerians onboard the vessel were 40 women and 10 children, who claimed they bought their tickets to return home as well as others who were deported for offences such as forgery, robbery and drug trafficking.

    A mother of four, Esther Ike, said they were meted harsh treatments through the six-day journey.

    Joseph Emakpo, a native of Warri, said he had lived in Gabon for 16 years and decided to return home as a result of the hostilities of Gabonese security agencies.

    He said the security agents, particularly the Gabonese Immigration officers, see Nigerians as hustlers, who come to snatch the little business opportunities open to their countrymen.

    A deportee, Sunday Adehun, 29, said he was arrested because his document expired.

    Adehun, an Ondo State indigene, said he had tried to renew his resident permits since 2013 when they expired without success.