Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba has flagged off maritime Operation, code-named operation Doubeni II at NPA Jetty, Warri.
The Operation which was launched from the Nigerian Port Authority Jetty, Warri at the weekend is aimed at conducting evolutions to curb criminal maritime activities within the central naval command area of responsibility, to ensure crime-free for economic activities and enhanced national development.
Flagging off the Operation, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba stated that the Operation was to consolidate on the impressive achievements recorded by the Nigerian navy during the conduct of Operation CALM WATERS to deter planned agitations within and around Nigerian’s maritime environment.
In his word ” operation calm waters has to a large extent contributed to the reduction in reported incidents of sea robbery, piracy, illegal bunkering, smuggling, illegal refinery and other maritime crimes within Nigerian waters’.
“within the period of the Operation, we have recorded a total of 27,918 hours of sea patrol which resulted in the arrest of 31 vessels and 357 persons suspected to be engaged in maritime illegalities”
The Nigeria navy bases cumulatively neutralized a total of 186 illegal refineries with 2,036 metal tanks and ovens, seizing a total of 23,102,900 liters of illegally sourced products”.
Rear Admiral Garba maintain that the efforts made by the navy and other security agencies at tackling the numerous security challenges prevalent in Nigeria, still persist particularly in Nigeria’s maritime domain with threats to attack critical maritime infrastructure, both ashore and offshore, hence the need for the Command to launch Operation DOUBENI II.
The FOC noted that within the limits of available resources, Central naval command has been focused on combating the myriads of threats and illegal activities in Nigeria’s maritime environment.
He stated that the protection of resources and economic activities in the nation is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders in the region and called on the cooperation of and support of all maritime security stakeholders as well as the civil populace in confronting threats to the nation’s common interest.
