To establish new Naval Base
The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai, on Tuesday, said the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with other security agencies is ready to flush out militants, terrorising communities in Ogun State.
Bobai, who stated this during his visit to the state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at his office in Abeokuta, said the Federal Government had directed the Navy to assist the governments of Ogun and Lagos, in addressing the security challenges of the militants.
Nigerian Tribune recalled that riverine communities in the two states, had in recent times, been under the siege of attack by the hoodlums which had resulted in killings and destruction of properties.
Bobai said the right of way and identifying the creeks was one of the major challenge confronting the Navy in combating the activities of the suspected militants.
The Naval officer, who was in company with the Lieutenant Commander of Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta, Ahmed Abdullahi, and senior naval officers, submitted that the creeks were already being combed to make them crime-free.
Bobai also explained that arrangements were on top gear towards the establishment of a new Naval Base in Tongeji Island in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state, to address the problem of pipeline vandalism and smuggling of contraband into the state.
“As a matter of fact, you know that there is an operation ongoing called Operation Awatse. Awatse is a Hausa name to say scatter; so we hope that in a short while, the Operation Awatse would swing into intensive operations to ensure that all these places are cleaned up of militants.
“Essentially, from the maritime front, one of the greatest problems we have is in the right of way in the water front and creeks there,” he said.
Governor Amosun in his response, promised his administration’s readiness to assist the Navy with necessary materials to equip the new Naval base.