The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Navy

  • Police, Navy partner to fight kidnapping on waterways

    The Police and Navy have cleared waterways in Lagos and Ogun states to rid them of kidnappers and other hoodlums.

    A statement by the Zone II Police Command’s spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, a Superintendent (SP), said the clearing would pave the way for the patrol of communities  along the riverine areas by the police and Navy.

    This, Adejobi said, would curb the activities of militants who have been terrorising the people of Lagos and Ogun  states.

    He said the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Zonal Intervention Squad and Zonal Anti-Kidnapping Team of the zone have been deployed to partake in the special operation.

    Adejobi urged the people of the affected areas to support the police and the military during the operation.

  • Navy opens school hostel built by NLNG

    The Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Akpabuyo, Calabar has been opened.

    It was built by LNG Limited (NLNG) as part of the company’s contribution to the development of education.

    The 320-capacity boys hostel, taken over by NLNG for completion last year at the cost of N45 million, was inaugurated by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.

    Vice Admiral Ibas said: ‘’Our officers and the students thank NLNG for this kind gesture. I want to acknowledge that NLNG has been a great partner to the Navy in ensuring the provision of security in the maritime sector. This gesture further strengthens that partnership because there is no way the Navy and, indeed, the Federal Government can provide these infrastructure. Partners that care and think about Nigeria, especially our children, such as NLNG, deserve our commendation. The Navy will continue to appreciate NLNG’s contributions towards capacity building and assures you that this building will be utilised to create positive impact on students of this school.’’

    The General Manager, External Relations at NLNG, Kudo Eresia-Eke, said NLNG through this and other corporate social responsibility CSR) initiatives across the country has demonstrated its commitment to the advancement of education, which is the bedrock of any sustainable development in the society.

  • Navy arrests three Cameroonians, Nigerian for ‘oil theft’

    Navy arrests three Cameroonians, Nigerian for ‘oil theft’

    The Navy’s Forward Operating Base at Ibaka in Mbo Local Government of Akwa Ibom State yesterday said it arrested three Cameroonians and a Nigerian with 66 drums, each containing 250 litres of products suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol.

    The Navy listed the suspects as: Kokah Ekema, 38; Money Francis, 27; Nako Otto, 25 and a Nigerian, Who-Knows Nya, 30.

    Base Commanding Officer  Navy Captain Siyanbade Adedokun, who paraded the suspects before reporters at Ibaka, said one Cotonou wooden boat with two units of 40 horsepower outboard engines, were also seized from the suspects.

    Adedokun said the suspects would be handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    He said: “We have arrested three Cameroonians and one Nigerian with 66 drums of 250 litres of products suspected to be PMS. All suspects will be handed over to the NSCDC.

    “The more we patrol, the more we make the maritime environment safe for legitimate business to thrive. At the same time, we try to patrol our waterways, basically concerning the strategic nature of the base, just close to international water.

    “It is a strategic place to police so that we won’t have people from neighbouring countries coming to penetrate illegality into the country.”

    Adelakun, who frowned at the alleged sabotage, noted that the Navy will not give them breathing space.

    The commander attributed the success of his base to frequent patrol of waterways and creeks as well as information from the public.

    He warned oil thieves, pipeline vandals and sea pirates to desist from their illegal businesses.

    NSCDC State Commandant Obiagulu Obiageli, who received the suspects, hailed the commander for protecting the nation’s territorial integrity.

    She noted that the trend will sustain business activities within the maritime environment.

    Obiageli, who was represented by NSCDC’s Chief Inspector Victor Uweh, promised that the corps will probe the suspects.

    She added that if the suspects were found culpable, they would face the wrath of the law.

     

  • Navy keeps criminals at bay in Abia community

    Navy keeps criminals at bay in Abia community

    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.

  • NPA partners Navy

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, has promised to improve on the relationship with the Nigerian Navy and others to secure the territorial waters.

    She spoke when the Flag Officer of the Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Ferguson Dukas Bobai, visited her  in Lagos.

    She said NPA would sustain the relationship through information sharing, and called for the maximum use of the Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence (CCCI) of both organisations through the  deployment of its personnel to promote security and efficiency.

    Bobai solicited for a space at the Takwa Bay for the swift response to security challenges on the waterways.

    “This would enhance maximum safety and security of lives as well as cargo on Nigerian waters,” he said.

    Ms Usman promised that the NPA would work towards granting the Navy a  temporary berthing space pending the rehabilitation of its facilities.

    She urged the Naval authorities to immediately reconvene the committee set up to facilitate the dredging at the Takwa Bay turning base and proceed with the implementation of the earlier recommendations and positions as agreed.

    She pledged that NPA would offer financial support to the project via budgetary provision and allocation in the next fiscal year.

  • Navy’s carrot-and-stick approach in Niger Delta

    Navy’s carrot-and-stick approach in Niger Delta

    The Nigerian Navy is changing the perception of many communities in the Niger Delta about the military. Hitherto, many communities viewed the military as an institution preoccupied only with wars and violence. In dread, they would flee to different directions for safety on sighting the men in uniform.

    But gradually things are changing. The military now wears a human face. It has embraced professionalism. With the carrot-and-stick approach encased in different social intervention programmes, the military is now able to win the hearts of many communities in the Niger Delta region.

    The Central Naval Command (CNC)  has a robust social welfare scheme for communities in its Areas of Responsibility (AoR). With headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, the CNC visits different communities with its medical outreach programme.

    The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mohammed Garba, is passionate about the medical rhapsody. He is in the forefront driving the process and within a short period since he assumed the CNC’s command, Garba has reached five communities with healthcare scheme.

    Recently, the Ede-Epie community in Yenagoa, trooped out en masse to partake in its turn of the Navy’s medical mission. Children were dewormed. The aged, women and youths were treated for various health conditions. In fact, Dr. Jennifer Odjegba and other medical experts in the naval team handled the cases of the beneficiaries professionally.

    About 2000 persons benefitted from the gesture. The Navy offered free malaria tests and treatment, blood pressure checks, eye screening and treatment. They also gave free diabetes screening, treatment of urinary dysfunction, among others.

    Consequently, the community poured encomiums on the navy. Many of them said with the kind of gesture extended to them by the navy, their perception about the military changed from negative to positive.

    The Paramount Ruler of Ede-Epie community, His Royal Highness, Edwin Iti, wore smiles permanently on his face. He said the navy made him proud before his subjects. According to him, the people heaved a sigh of relief.

    He said the military has revealed its humanitarian face by showing that it does not only exist to apprehend criminals. He vowed to partner with the military to rid the community of crimes.

    The monarch said: “We appreciate the Navy for deeming it fit to extend this medical rhapsody to our people. Before now, when my people see military personnel, they get scared. But now, we are glad that the perception has changed.

    “We are overjoyed. The wisdom of coming to put smiles on the faces of our people is welcome. This programme has revealed that the military is not only to apprehend people but to offer humanitarian services. We are fully ready to partner with the military to rid our communities of criminals.”

    Garba, who personally declared the event open, said the free medical rhapsody was to promote and strengthen civil-military relations and also to boost healthcare service delivery at targeted communities.

    He said the Chief of Naval Staff was very proud of the programme as it was meant to explore partnership of all stakeholders as part of the measures to tackle criminality in the CNC’s area of responsibility.

    He urged the people of the community to continue to support the programmes and policies of the Federal Government and that of the military to achieve sustainable peace and security in the Niger Delta.

    He appealed to the community to distance itself from criminal activities, maintaining that the Navy zero tolerance for criminalities was not negotiable.

    Garba said: “I want to urge the community members to distance themselves from criminals that want to take the advantage of agitations and struggle to unleash mayhem on people.

    “Do not allow the magnanimity of the Federal Government to dialogue to be a missing opportunity.

    “This medical rhapsody is a programme meant to show appreciation to the host communities. They have been cooperative and supportive of the programmes and policies of not just the Federal Government but also the Nigerian Navy.

    “We feel we have to give them something as a token of our appreciation. That is why we organise this free medical rhapsody to the communities in the region and we are doing it every month.

    “In Yenagoa alone, five communities have already benefitted. We are encouraged by the turnout of community members to this programme. Before now, people see the military as a threat but now a lot of people have changed that perception and are beginning to embrace the exercise.”

    He advised the communities to key into the Navy’s zero tolerance for criminalities by appealing to their people to shun criminal acts such as piracy, cultism, kidnapping, oil theft, vandalism and other vices.

  • Navy chief warns criminals in Abia

    Navy chief warns criminals in Abia

    The new commandant of the Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College, Owerrinta, Abia State, Captain Abdullahi Aminu has warned criminals to steer clear of the state or face the music.

    Aminu said that the navy in the state was prepared to tackle criminality with all seriousness, adding that the naval headquarters had empowered to bring felons to heel.

    Speaking at the naval college, Owerrinta during the third quarter of its quarterly route march and show of strength, Capt Aminu said that the exercise was aimed at ensuring that naval ratings and officers were fit at all times.

    Capt. Aminu said that during the exercise that officers and men of the naval college are expected to show the people how ready they are to tackle the menace of criminals within and around the state.

    He noted that part of their charge is to ensure the security of life and property of their host community and the state wherever they are based, stressing that since their advent at Owerrinta that there has been peace.

    He recalled that barely two days he assumed office as the new commandant, that his men rescued a four year old boy who was kidnapped at St Theresa’s Catholic Church Obosi in Anambra state.

    The naval boss said that the boy was kidnapped on Sunday at Obosi Anambra state and was rescued the next day in Abia state, “This tells you the preparedness of my officers and men in crime fighting and we are determined to do more”.

    Capt Aminu said that from what he has observed on the fitness of his men which shows low level of fitness, “I am going to introduce the route march to be a monthly thing, which will be done at the end of every month”.

    “The idea is to ensure that my men are fit at all times to face the security challenges that have been trying to overrun both the state and country, every military man should be fit and ready at all times in case of any crisis so as not to be caught unawares”.

    “What we are doing which is done every quarter is approved by the navy headquarters, as signals are sent before the date of the route march, as it is  enshrined in our rules”.

    “The exercise is also to let criminals operating within the state to stay clear or be consumed as we are prepared to ensure that our environment is secured at all times and I am sure that we have not been doing badly in that area”.

    He used the forum to give kudos to members of the host community for their effort in ensuring that they perform their security duties to the optimum level, stressing that they have been giving them useful information to work with.

     

  • Navy trains unarmed combatants for internal security

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) has said it has concluded plans to train unarmed combatants to be deployed for internal security.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) Rear Admiral Ifeola Mohammed stated this during the visit of House of Representatives Committee on NN.

    The FOC, who hinted the legislators of the challenges bedeviling his command, said accommodation, new training aids and instructors were part of them.

    He said: “We are expanding so we still need accommodation and adequate infrastructure for our trainees and our training officers.”

    According to Mohammed, his core derivative is to churn out quality personnel that would defend Nigeria’s territorial domain to the best of their abilities.

    The Committee’s Chairman, Abdussamad Dasuki, called for the overhaul of naval jetties, pledging support of the legislature for an improved budget for the navy.

    The committee, which also visited the Western and EasternNaval Commands (WNC) and (ENC) decried the state of the jetties.

    Dasuki said: “NAVTRAC is the engine room of the navy and we are pledging support for the navy to ensure they get the necessary adequate resources they need.”

    At NAVTRAC, the team toured Falcon Eye  Centre, the simulation centre, computer training training school engineering CDIS, morse code training centre, Chinese, French and Arabic classes as well as the voice training, and the National Open University.

    At the event were Commodore Esther Ogbonnaya, Commodore Unoneme, Captain Livingstone Izu and Hon Emeka Anohu, the representative of Ihiala Federal Constituency.

  • Stay away from Abia, Navy warns criminals

    The new commandant of the Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College, Owerrinta in Abia State, Captain Abdullahi Aminu has warned criminals operating within the state to stay away or risk meeting their waterloo.

    Aminu said that the navy in the state is prepared to tackle the menace of criminality to a logical conclusion, adding that the naval headquarters has adequately empowered the naval team to flush out criminals from their hideouts anywhere in the state.

    Capt. Aminu, who was speaking during the third quarter of their quarterly route march and show of strength, said that the exercise is aimed at ensuring that the naval ratings and officers are fit at all times.

    He said that during the exercise, officers and men of the naval college are expected to show the people their readiness to tackle the menace of criminals within and around the state.

    He noted that part of the charge to the men and officers is to ensure the security of life and property of their host community and the state in general, stressing that peace has continued to reign in the community as a result of the location of naval base there.

  • Navy chief warns criminals in Abia

    The new commandant of the Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College, Owerrinta, Abia State, Captain Abdullahi Aminu has warned criminals to steer clear of the state or face the music.

    Aminu said that the navy in the state was prepared to tackle criminality with all seriousness, adding that the naval headquarters had empowered to bring felons to heel.

    Speaking at the naval college, Owerrinta during the third quarter of its quarterly route march and show of strength, Capt Aminu said that the exercise was aimed at ensuring that naval ratings and officers were fit at all times.

    Capt. Aminu said that during the exercise that officers and men of the naval college are expected to show the people how ready they are to tackle the menace of criminals within and around the state.

    He noted that part of their charge is to ensure the security of life and property of their host community and the state wherever they are based, stressing that since their advent at Owerrinta that there has been peace.

    He recalled that barely two days he assumed office as the new commandant, that his men rescued a four year old boy who was kidnapped at St Theresa’s Catholic Church Obosi in Anambra state.

    The naval boss said that the boy was kidnapped on Sunday at Obosi Anambra state and was rescued the next day in Abia state, “This tells you the preparedness of my officers and men in crime fighting and we are determined to do more”.

    Capt Aminu said that from what he has observed on the fitness of his men which shows low level of fitness, “I am going to introduce the route march to be a monthly thing, which will be done at the end of every month”.

    “The idea is to ensure that my men are fit at all times to face the security challenges that have been trying to overrun both the state and country, every military man should be fit and ready at all times in case of any crisis so as not to be caught unawares”.

    “What we are doing which is done every quarter is approved by the navy headquarters, as signals are sent before the date of the route march, as it is  enshrined in our rules”.

    “The exercise is also to let criminals operating within the state to stay clear or be consumed as we are prepared to ensure that our environment is secured at all times and I am sure that we have not been doing badly in that area”.

    He used the forum to give kudos to members of the host community for their effort in ensuring that they perform their security duties to the optimum level, stressing that they have been giving them useful information to work with.