The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has said that various operational strategies adopted by the Nigerian Navy have helped to contain maritime criminality such as sea piracy, illegal oil bunkering, unauthorised fishing, kidnapping and illegal refineries in the Niger Delta.
Admiral Ibok Ibas, who disclosed this at the inauguration of Course 1 of the Naval War College, Nigeria, at Ubima in Rivers State, at the weekend, said the statues of maritime activities as the economic hub of the nation had attracted criminals to the environment.
“These criminal activities: piracy, kidnapping, crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, unregulated and illegal fishing, trafficking in humans, small arms and illicit drugs and sabotage of oil and gas infrastructure pose serious danger in maritime trade.
“We must also consider the grave implications of several security challenges on land fueled by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which are illegally imported or smuggled into the country.
“Collectively, these pose serious economic and security challenges to the nation, the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies,” he said.
Ibas further said as a proactive measure towards arresting the trend of maritime criminality in the waterways, the Nigerian Navy had continually reviewed its operational concepts aimed at the efficient protection of maritime activities.
