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Tag: Nigerian Navy

  • We will soon overcome security challenges, says Navy

    The Nigerian Navy has declared that the country will soon overcome terrorism, banditry, oil theft and other current security challenges.

    In his goodwill message to the Central Naval Command (CNC), Yenagoa during the Navy Week Interdenominational Church Service, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice-Admiral, I.E. Ibas, however, called for unity in the Armed Forces.

    Ibas, whose message was read by Rear Admiral Solomon Agada, on behalf of the Flag Officer Commanding, CNC, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, said the occasion called for sober reflections and prayers for the country.

    He said: “It is trite that occasions such as this also call for sober reflection and prayers for the nation particularly in the face of daunting security challenges at the moment.

    “As members of the Armed Forces, we must all stand united and ready to give our all in support of the Federal Government’s effort to confront the current national security threats regardless of where they may occur; at sea or on land.

    “I, therefore, take the opportunity to remind you of your sacred duty to continue to remain committed to the defense of your country. Clearly with such strong resolve, sacrifice and unity of purpose, the current challenges will soon be a thing of the past”.

    Read Also: Navy hands over 22 suspected oil thieves, two vessels to EFCC

    The CNS asked all the officers and ratings to pray for their colleagues and other members of the armed forces deployed across various terrains and environment following efforts to secure the nation.

    He, however, added: “We must also spare a moment a moment for our colleagues, who have paid the supreme sacrifice within the past year and ask the Almighty God to grant their souls a peaceful repose.

    “We also pray for the Almighty to strengthen and give succour to their loved ones and dependents to enable them keep faith with the again as we look forward to a better tomorrow”.

    Ibas said the leadership remained unwavering in the pursuit of set national objectives   adding that it was committed in equipping the troops to optimize their output.

    He thanked the religious leaders for their unrelenting and fervent prayers for the navy disclosing that the navy continued to make significant strides in its fleet renewal programmes.

    He added that the naval programmes led to the induction of many Seward Defence Boats, Riverine Patrol Boats and the construction of other capital ships and aircrafts expected to join the fleets in the coming months.

    He said: “Other notable achievements include the commissioning of the NN Reference Hospital in Calabar, Admiralty University and the completion of NNS Beecroft jetty as well as several other infrastructural and welfare projects across NNS ships and establishments”.

  • Navy arrests Ghanaian, eight Beninoise for oil theft

    The Nigerian Navy has said it arrested nine foreign nationals alongside two boats and seven trucks over alleged stolen Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS) around the Atlas Cove area of Lagos.

    The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Ibrahim Shettima said this while briefing reporters at the command in Apapa, Lagos.

    He said the arrest of the products, suspects, boats and the trucks happened between May 10 and 12 at Atlas Cove Island and Nigeria-Benin Republic Boarder.

    Commodore Shettima said: “On May 10 at about 2am, a patrol team deployed on the Atlas Cove Island discovered two trucks containing about 200 x 25 Litre Plastic Cans around Akaraba area on the Atlas Cove Island.

    “Although, no suspects were found at the scene, it is believed that the plastic cans were prepared for usage in storing illegally siphoned PMS from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines.

    “In a separate incident on the same day, at about 5am, the patrol team also discovered another five trucks conveying about 70 x 25 Litre plastic cans around Abule Glass area on the Atlas Cove Island.

    “It is opined that the vehicles were kept in preparation for the movement of stolen product from the NNPC pipelines.”

    The Commander added that two boats and foreign nationals were also arrested by naval men on routine patrol along the Nigeria-Benin Boarder.

    “On May 12 around 6pm, a naval boat on routine patrol along Nigeria-Benin Republic boarder intercepted two boats conveying a total of 85 x 250 Litre drums and another 150 X 25 Litre plastic cans suspected to be containing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). This is believed to have been stolen from NNPC pipeline laid on the Atlas Cove Island.

    “As at the time of the intercept, the two boats had a total of nine crew members comprising of one Ghanaian and eight Beninoise.

    Read also: Navy to establish warrant officers academy

    “Investigation into the matter is ongoing with the view to unravelling their local collaborators and accordingly, the vehicles and exhibits are in own custody and would be handed over to prosecuting agencies,” he said.

    Shettima said the Atlas Cove Island accommodated a NNPC storage facility, which was operated and managed by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) a subsidiary of NNPC.

    “The facility is designed as a transit depot to supply refined product to other NNPC depots at Mosimi, Ore, Ibadan and Shagamu areas. Over time, the facility is being threatened by activities of pipeline vandals and in a strive to check mate this ugly trend, the base heightened patrols on the island and its waterfront,” he said.

    He said the act of illegally trading in petroleum product around the Atlas Cove Island was unfortunate, adding that most of the illegalities were perpetuated with the collaboration and assistance of some unpatriotic Nigerians.

    “It is worthy of note that the navy under the leadership of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas is determined to rid our waterways and its connected creeks of all forms of criminality. NNS BEECROFT is therefore committed to assisting NNPC deal with the issue of petroleum product theft.

    “The navy therefore uses this medium to warn oil thieves and other criminal elements particularly in our maritime environment to desist from these nefarious activities and pursue lawful means of livelihood,” he said.

  • Navy nabs 12 suspected rice smugglers in A’Ibom

    The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Mbo local government area, Akwa Ibom State, has arrested 12 suspected rice smugglers.

    At least 742 bags of contraband rice were recovered from the suspects in in four different operations carried out by naval operatives in the area.

    The first set of arrests include five suspects and 339 bags of 50kg rice, the second set also has five suspects and 301 bags of 50kg rice, while the third and fourth arrests include one suspect each, 41 and 43 bags of 50kg rice respectively.

    Other items seized from the suspects between May 1st to 3rd, 2019 include two wooden boats, two fibre boats, four outboard engines and four pumping machines.

    Speaking on Sunday in Ibaka during the hand-over of the suspects, and items to the Nigeria Customs Service, Commanding Officer, FOB, Captain Toritseju Vincent, promised that the Navy will remain committed to its assigned roles in checking illegalities on the water ways.

    “On behalf of the flag officer Eastern Naval Command, I am handing over these five suspects who were apprehended on Wednesday, the 1st of May in the early hours of the morning with 339 bags of rice, one big wooden boat, two outboard engines and two pumping machines.

    “Likewise, five suspects were arrested on 3rd May at about 0700 hours around the Akpan platform axis and they had 301 bags of rice in their wooden boat, as well as two outboard engines and two pumping machines.

    Read Also: Militants, smugglers would not be tolerated, Navy warns

    “We are handing over the suspects, the contraband goods and the boats to the Nigeria Customs, alongside the two suspects, 84 bags of contraband goods and two fibre boats.

    “I will like to thank you for your support in the past few weeks; it has been a continuing operation. We will continue to do our best out there in the waters and believe we will always have your unconditional support in carrying out our constitutional roles as assigned to both services.

    Receiving the suspects and items on behalf of the Controller, Eastern Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt, Elton, Assistant Controller, Ali Garko thanked the Nigerian Navy for their efforts in arresting illegalities on the water ways, and appealed to the smugglers to deist from the act as it was detrimental to the nation’s economy.

    “I thank the Nigerian Navy for this wonderful effort. We will like to reiterate to those people who are in this business to desist because it is ruining our economy. The earlier they hearken to this, the better for all of us,” he stated.

    Two of the suspects, Mr. Edet Okon and his 17 year old nephew, Raphael Edem said they were only passengers on the boat when it was arrested and are not part of the smugglers. He said he came back to Nigeria to visit his sick sister.

    “I don’t know what is happening here. I boarded a boat in Cameroon to come and visit my sick sister, and then i saw myself here. I don’t know the boat was carrying rice because I was in a rush to come down to Nigeria. I have been in Cameroon for three years” he said.

    Raphael stated, “I have been living in Cameroon with my Uncle for three years now. When my Uncle told me my mum was sick, I boarded the boat to come to Nigeria but I did not know the boat was carrying rice, and I don’t know any of the people in the boat with me except my Uncle, who I came with”.

     

  • Navy blames shipping firms for Lagos trucks’ menace

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) Thursday blamed shipping companies and their outrageous demurrage charges on articulated vehicles for the gridlock crippling Apapa and its environs.

    Outgone Commander Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT Rear Admiral Okon Eyo said it was the unfair demurrage charges which range between N14,000 and  N24,000 daily the shipping companies made from truck owners for empty containers that had made them not to be alive to their responsibilities.

    Eyo, who was chairman of the interagency taskforce on Apapa gridlock, stated this during an interview with reporters after handing over headship of the base to Commodore Ibrahim Shettima.

    According to him, it was unfair for the shipping companies and terminal operators to deliberately abdicate their responsibilities of taking these containers which the truckers are billed to return within stipulated period of time just to rip them off the money deposited and bill them more.

    He said: “We also have problems with processes; I am talking of the sequence of doing things within the port. A lot of the facilities have been conscessioned and people are doing  legitimate businesses but with terms and conditions observed in the breach.

    “The terminal operators, the shipping agencies have seriously abdicated their responsibilities. They were expected to have holden bays when new porters have finished with their containers, they need to deliver the empties to those holden bays for the shipping companies to organise and evacuate same in an orderly manner but this is not done.

    “As if that was not enough, you will see them slapping huge demurrage and I tell you the single most challenging factor in managing the gridlock is the demurrage. The demurrage is operated in a way that when you take your goods, they give you a few days of grace. Once that grace period is over, they start charging the truckers from the huge deposits they had collected in advance until they exhaust the money.

    “You see, all these people here (articulated vehicle drivers) are chasing the port in order to go and terminate that demurrage. When they get to the port after all the things that they passed through, the person who is to admit them into the port is the one collecting this money, in the first place and so, he does not have any incentive to open the gate for them. Hence, he keeps them outside which means more money for the shipping company and terminal operator. This kind of charges are not justified.

    Read also: Apapa gridlock takes toll on cashew

    “If I suffer and bring your container and get to your facility, I have met the obligation that I have with you. If you have problem and you cannot receive the container at that time, and I am kept outside, bearing the container on my truck, I think it does not require deep understanding to know who should have the responsibility of payment at that time.

    “I brought the container, if you cannot take it, you should be paying me but the reverse is the case. The people still stay outside there and they pay you. They pay ranging from N14,000 to N24,000 daily. So, it drives them crazy because they want to save their businesses.

    “There is hardly anything you will tell anybody at that time that they will listen unless you are standing there with a gun and he is forced to obey you. But after that, he cannot conduct himself in a way that will allow sanity to prevail and that is not their fault.

    “We need to remove that scourge  of demurrage. If the demurrage is removed, I belief we will have serious relief.”

    Meanwhile, residents have continued to lament the return of the trucks on major highways especially Oshodi-Apapa Expressway causing untold hardship to motorists.

    The Nation reports that articulated vehicles had for some days now blocked the service and fast lane inward Apapa leaving in its wake, bedlam that stretches up to Iyana Isolo on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

    It was observed that some of the trucks were being repaired on the expressway, just as commercial vehicles have resorted to plying against traffic on the other lane of the dual carriageway.

    Lamenting his experience, a motorist told our correspondent he spent over five hours between Cele Bus Stop and Toyota on Wednesday night, adding that he had been in the traffic for over an hour at the time of discussion yesterday.

  • Navy transfers suspects, weapons to INTERPOL

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday handed over the nine suspects arrested on board a service boat, SEA ANGEL 3, four firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered to the International Police (INTERPOL).

    Three Greeks, an American and five Nigerians were on Sunday arrested on the boat during a joint naval operation between Nigerian and United States (US) navies within the nation’s western waters.

    Handing over the suspects to Deputy Commissioner of Police INTERPOL, Lagos Command, Tunji Akingbola, the Officer in-charge of Tactical Command (OTC), Commodore Dickson Olisemenogor, said the captain of the boat had lied during radio interrogation that there were only five Nigerians on board, only for the special forces to discover that there were white men as well as MI-1 rifles and over 1,000 ammunition.

    Olisemenogor said: “Before now, we went out there to make arrest and we handed over to relevant agencies, but the activities of these criminals have continued unabated.

    “This time, we made a detailed search and interrogation of ships at sea. When we interrogated the captain and crew members, they made us believe that there were only five Nigerians on board.

    “The boat was painted in navy colour, and this aroused our suspicion. They were not shining their electronic gadget at sea, which will indicate their position, as stipulated by the International Maritime Organisation. This attracted our attention.

    “We boarded and discovered that there were more than five persons on board. There were five Nigerians, three Greeks and an American.

    “Further search on the boat revealed that they had four MI rifles that can do anything at sea and over 1000 rounds of ammunition with them, as well as various military kits.

    “What they are doing on our waters, we do not know. We are handing over the suspects, exhibits and boats to the Nigeria Police.”

    DCP Akingbola, who said he was directed by the acting Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, to take over the suspects and exhibits, added that the police would begin investigation immediately.

    He said the police would write the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to ascertain the immigration status of the suspects, adding that findings would be made public.

     

  • 19 suspects, two vessels held as Nigerian, U.S. navies join forces

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) Thursday confirmed the arrest of 19 suspects and two vessels within the Western waters during a joint operation codenamed “Junction Rain”, which it undertook with the United States (U.S.) Navy.

    The vessels were arrested for illegal possession of firearms and suspected crude oil theft by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) CENTENARY and a Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) boat which were among the nine platforms and two maritime patrol helicopters deployed for the seven-day operation.

    The Nation had reported that Angelopolous Spyridon, 54, (Greek); Kappis Christos, 57, (Greek); Petropoulos Stylianos, 34, (Greek); Zanski Michael-Anderson, 50 (American); were among the foreigners arrested on the boat – SEA ANGELS 3 – where the special forces recovered four Bernelli MI-1 rifles, over 1,000 ammunition and other military gadgets.

    Meanwhile, a discharge document was also recovered aboard the boat having the name, signature and details of Michael-Anderson but with another picture.

    Addressing reporters at the return from the high seas yesterday, the Officer in Tactical Command (OTC) Commodore Dickson Olisemenogor, clarified that nine suspects comprising three Greece nationals, an American and five blacks were arrested aboard SEA ANGELS 3.

    The OTC said the other 10 suspects were arrested on the oil barge that claimed to have come from Ghana but was roaming on the seas in a questionable way.

    According to Commodore Olisemenogor, the vessels, exhibits and suspects, would be handed over to the appropriate agencies for further investigation, prosecution and possible conviction, warning criminals to steer clear of Nigerian waters.

    In the course of the operation, he said the navy interrogated over 100 vessels and boarded 40, noting that most criminally-minded ships and boats fled the nation’s western waters to other far countries like South Africa.

    He said: “There were nine suspects on the first boat arrested. The boat was looking like a naval boat and when we made initial contact, the captain made us believe that he was in our waters for routine patrol waiting for a merchant vessel.

    Read also: Navy arrests 10 suspected pirates

    “He was asked if he was carrying any weapon or other items on board and he denied. We decided to board the vessel for confirmation and discovered that there were five Nigerians, three Greeks and an American. It is not right for the vessel to be having naval colour.

    “They did not tell us where they were coming from and that was why we arrested them. They earlier switched off some of the equipment to make it difficult for you to detect them but unfortunately we have the equipment on board to detect whoever is at sea. No criminal can hide again in our waters.

    “We saw some weapons there. About four MI-1 rifles, over a thousand rounds of ammunition and some other military kits. They will be handed over to the appropriate agencies for action. It is a good thing that other MDAs participated in this operation with us and we worked as a team for the good of Nigeria.

    “What we saw at sea is encouraging. We had other merchant ships calling and congratulating us for keeping the waters safe for their operations.

    “That goes to give credence to this operation. In total we were able to interrogate about 100 ships at sea, we boarded about 40 of them which we suspected may have not given us the accurate information and in the process, two were actually arrested.

    “I can say it was a huge success because apart from keeping our sea lines open for normal commercial shipping to take place, we also used the opportunity to further train our men onboard, especially in seamanship area, communication, even our engineers had the opportunity of understanding our engines better and know how to solve certain problems that could jeopardise our operation at sea.

    “The other areas I know that we have actually done something were in collaboration and interoperability. Now, we can work as a team with all our MDAs. They understand us and so do we. Area of communication and information sharing came to play because most of these information we got that led us into interrogating some vessels and boarding others came from our sister agencies through our Maritime Operation Center (MOCs) which shows synergy is already established and I just hope that we would sustain it.

    “In my assessment, the operation is worth it and should be sustained. I can assure you that through the effort and support of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the navy is very ready.

    “You saw the number of ships available for the period of time we went out. We want Nigerians to know that their navy is working and time is up for those criminals at sea. Some of the vessels we were monitoring fled to South Africa and some were even in Gabon.

    “The fact that we have denied them the use of the sea for days goes to show that we can continue and it is no longer business as usual for them. We are using this opportunity to warn all criminals at sea that this operation has not ended, it is still ongoing. Anyone that feels he can come and disturb our waters let him think twice, because it is not going to be easy for him.”

  • Navy declares four persons wanted for crude oil theft

    The Nigerian Navy Tuesday declared four persons wanted in connection with crude oil theft at the nation’s maritime domain.

    Its spokesman, Navy Commodore Suleman Dahun said in a statement that the four persons are crew of Merchant Vessel ‘Grace Waters’ which was arrested last year with 90 metric tonnes of illegally sourced petroleum products.

    Read Also: Navy takes war to kidnappers, others

    Dahun gave their names as; Mr. Enikanologbon Happy, Mr Arumona Daniel, Mr Egbujie Kingsley Chinonso and Mr Ogori Kenneth.

    He said; “Anyone who has information about the whereabouts of these persons should contact the Naval Provost Marshal, Naval Headquarters, Area 7, Garki Abuja on 08037442228, 08037175817, 08030522035 and 08138799220, the nearest Naval establishment, Army, Air Force or Police unit.”

  • Navy college holds health outreach for community

    The Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College (NNFLC) Owerrinta in Abia State has held its medical rhapsody for its host community.

    Naval medical personnel examined the locals and provided medications and advice for them, urging them to make good use of the medical supplies which they got free.

    Speaking at Trailer Park Owerrinta venue for the medical treatment, the commandant of the college, Navy Capt. Omotola Omotayo Olukoya said that all patients attending the exercise should listen very well and make good use of the drugs they were given after consultation with the doctors.

    Olukoya said that they are doing the free medical to treat ailments, but that some of them could be avoided if they live in a clean environment, stressing that good health is better than money.

    He said that the navy decided to hold the free medical exercise on that day being the national environmental cleanup day, adding that a health environment will also make for good and healthy living which in most cases may not require medication.

    The commandant said that they have three consulting rooms, child health clinic, family planning and distribution of condoms, antenatal clinic, eye clinic, laboratory and pharmacy department and urged them to access them for their own good.

    Read also: Maritime security: Navy takes delivery of new equipment

    Olukoya who was represented by acting deputy commandant, Commander Akinbamidele Samson Odunsi said that despite their major assignment which is to provide security with the help of other security agencies, that they also have to provide social services to their immediate community.

    The commandant of NNFLC said that the Chief of Naval Staff decided to have the medical outreach as one of the ways to create a human face and also make the people who live close to them to know that they are human beings like them.

    He described the free medical exercise as one of the ways they have to give back to the host community that welcomed them since the college was established, “I want you people to keep supporting us, and this will in turn encourage us to do more”.

    Olukoya told them to listen attentively to whatever the medical team will tell them and do accordingly so that they will not have any complications, adding that once they take their drugs as directed that there will be no problem.

    He said, “We are here to give free medical care to our people of Owerrinta community and its environs and we expect all to received medical attention as good health is very important more than money, as money is not everything”.

    The navy captain urged them to make good use of the drugs they will be given after being examined by the doctors on duty, stressing that by so doing they will live a healthy life devoid of avoidable ailments.

    Olukoya told them to always feel free to come to the base to make use of the clinic as they will be charged little money, “What we will charge you at our base clinic after treatment will never be the same with what you will be charged outside our clinic”.

    Earlier a Public Health Officer (PHO) at the navy clinic, Ms Light Emmanuel had told them the need for them to take their drugs as directed and that when they go in to consult with the doctors that they should not be shy but feel free to express themselves.

    Emmanuel said that it only when they tell the doctors what is wrong with them that they will be given proper medical attention, stressing that when they are shy and hid what is wrong with them that the disease will end up destroying them or killing them.

    She charged them not to feel shy to ask for condoms as they have both male and female condoms, “The condoms will be given free and they (condoms) will help to stop unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases”.

    The PHO also used the forum to demonstrate to the patients how to use the condoms for male and female for proper usage and urged them to teach others who for one reason or the other could not be at the medical outreach for their own healthy living.

    Emmanuel equally taught them how to use the treated mosquito nets which will be given to the children under five years, explaining that they must air the nets for at least twenty-four hours before usage to avoid health problems.

    She warned against using same for fishing as they are a fishing community, “This treated mosquito nets we are going to give you are not for fishing as they are not meant for that venture, as they can never hold fishes”.

    The navy PHO told the pregnant women that they will be given routine drugs for their health and that of their unborn children and also treated mosquito nets, “Please all pregnant women should come to our base on Monday for registration and free ante natal treatment”.

    In his contribution the medical doctor in charge of the navy hospital, Lt Commander Richard Ezeibe said that the navy is there for the people and also create a good working relationship with the community which will in turn make them feel free to come to them at all times.

    Ezeibe a surgeon said that the medical exercise is one of the ways to tell the host community that the federal government cares for them, as they are free to seek medical attention at the base clinic at all times.

    He told them that the medical outreach which includes ante natal care for pregnant women and also postnatal care after delivery, adding that they are also into reproductive health care which includes birth control methods.

    The navy medical doctor urged them to make good use of the exercise to treat all their ailments, adding that the medical outreach is for all category of patients from the old, men and women, pregnant women and children.

    Ezeibe thanked the people for turning out in their numbers to take advantage of the free medical as their response has given them the tonic they require to do more for the host community and other communities around the base.

    He noted that the children will be de-wormed and called on all present to go home and bring their children for free de-worming so that they will be free from worm related ailments.

    In his reaction, one of the recipients of the medical rhapsody, Ikechukwu Nwosu described the exercise as one of the best things to happen to the people of the Owerrinta community and urged the navy not to relent in giving them free medical treatment.

    Nwosu said that the medical rhapsody is an exercise that will go a long way to make the people of the community and its surrounding environs to have a healthy living, “I want to urge the navy to continue the good works as their drugs have helped many to live a healthy life.”

  • Navy arrests three suspects with 416 bags of contraband rice

    The Nigerian Navy in Akwa Ibom State have arrested three suspects with 416 bags of contraband rice said to have been smuggled into the state from neighboring Republic of Cameroon.

    The operation was carried out by naval operatives of Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Mbo local government area.

    The suspected smugglers were reportedly intercepted in a wooden boat along the Mbo river by naval officials of the Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Mbo local government area during a routine patrol.

    It was discovered that a medium-sized boat which was fitted with two 40 horsepower Yamaha outboard engines was carrying the 416 bags of 50kg rice.

    Speaking on Wednesday in Ibaka during the hand-over of the suspects, rice, boat and engines to the Nigeria Customs Service, Commanding Officer, FOB, Captain Reginald Adoki said the handover is a customary practice and a way of renewing the commitment of the Navy to rid the area of illegal activities on the water ways.

    “The gunboat of FOB, Ibaka while conducting retinue patrol along Mbo river and other adjoining creeks intercepted a medium sized wooden boat. After offloading, it was discovered to be carrying 416 bags of 50kg rice, and two 40 horsepower Yamaha outboard engines which are fitted to the wooden boat. The three suspects, from preliminary investigations revealed they were bringing the rice from Cameroon.

    Read Also: Navy, others search for answer to piracy

    “This handover is customary to us and a way of renewing the commitment the Navy has put in clearing this area of illegal activities and reiterate the confidence the Navy has in the Customs to deal with the cases handed over to them for further investigation and prosecution,” he stated.

    Receiving the suspects and bags of rice from the Navy, the Controller, Eastern Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt, Elton Edorhe, who was represented by Mr Ibrahim Adamu, Chief Superintendent of Customs appealed to the smugglers to desist from harming the economy of the country through their actions.

    He said, “On behalf of the Customs Controller, Eastern Marine Command, Controller Elton Edorhe, I thank the Navy for the seizures and appeal to the smugglers to consider the economy of the nation that is being bastardized through smuggling. They should do the needful and desist from this economic sabotage and also save themselves the pains of losing their money”.

    However, one of the suspects, Mr Victor Asuquo, a professional hair barber from Mbo LGA, said he was innocent of the charge against him.

    Asuquo who said he was returning home after about six months sojourn in Cameroon stated that he was only a passenger in the captured boat and not involved in smuggling of the seized rice.

    “I am not involved in this smuggling; I just entered the boat as a passenger. The driver of the boat escaped when the boat was arrested, the three of us are passengers. I left Cameroon because of the crisis there and since I did not have an international passport to board a flying boat, I paid 5,000 franc to board the local boat,” he said.

  • Navy takes war to kidnappers, others

    In its quest to ensure that kidnapping and hostage taking do not reign in riverine areas, the Nigerian Navy (NN) on Tuesday said it was taking the battle to the enclaves of the criminals.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral Oladele Daji stated this in an  interview shortly after assuming headship of the command.

    Daji, who took over the mantle of leadership as the 39th FOC from Rear Admiral Obed Ngalabak, said the NN had already identified the hideouts of these criminals and was battle ready to smoke them out.

    He was reacting to a question on the seeming resurge of kidnapping and armed banditry in the southwest especially in riverine areas of Ikorodu, Epe, Ogun and Ondo which fall within the command’s area of responsibility.

    Although the admiral denied there was spate in these vices, he however assured that steps were already on to flush out the criminals from their hideouts.

    “We are so lucky in the military because our roles and tasks have been defined and cut out for us. For the navy, we are guided by the vision and mission of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) as well as the Strategic Directives.

    “Just as the outgone FOC mentioned, the command has strived over the years to deliver on its mandate. What we are only coming to do is build upon, bring fresh ideas into some of the challenges we have in the maritime expanse.

    READ ALSO: Court bonds make fight against oil theft difficult – Nigerian Navy

    “Luckily for us, the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has been able to acquire more boats for us to patrol. This is not to say we have enough to cover our vast maritime space but with what we have and the strategy of using the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), we will ensure the assets provided for us are effectively used to accomplish the tasks ahead.

    “The data we have at the Naval Headquarters show that kidnapping is on the decline. Perhaps, there are one or two cases with prominence which make it seem as though it is on the increase. It is actually on the decline.

    “That notwithstanding, the FOC briefed me in his handing over. We are going to the source to rout them out. These people do not leave perpetually at sea, they have where they operate from. That is one of our strategy and I won’t say more than that.”

    In his valedictory remark, Ngalabak appealed to other security agencies, personnel to collaborate with his successor, who he said, would improve on existing foundations.

    He noted that under his watch, the command arrested about 26 vessels, 70 suspects and rescued a vessel hijacked by pirates.