The Nigerian Naval Ship, (NNS) Forward Operation Base, Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom, has arrested three Cameroonians and a Nigerian with 66 drums of suspected stolen petroleum products
The suspects apprehended included Kokah Ekema, 38; Money Francis, 27; Nako Otto, 25, and a Nigerian, Who-Knows Nya, 30 years.
Navy Captain Siyanbade Adedokun, the Commanding Officer at the base, presented the suspects on Tuesday before newsmen in Ibaka.
Adedokun said that one Cotonou wooden boat equipped with two 40 horsepower outboard engines had also been seized from the suspects.
“The more we patrol, the more we make the maritime environment safe for legitimate business to thrive.
“It is a very strategic place to police so that we won’t have people from neighbouring countries coming to perpetrate illegality in the country,” Adedokun said.
He decried act of sabotage being carried out by some criminal elements on the economy of the country.
Adedokun attributed the success recorded by NNS Forward Operation Base to frequent patrol of the nation’s waterways and creeks.
He warned oil bunkering operators, pipeline vandals and sea pirates within the maritime environment of Nigeria to refrain from the nefarious activities.
The Commanding Officer later handed over the suspects to the Akwa Ibom command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The state commandant of the NSCDC, Obiagulu Obiageli, who received the suspects from the navy, lauded the Nigerian Navy for effective policing of the waterways.
She noted that the achievement of the Navy would help to sustain legitimate business activities within the maritime area of the country.
Obiageli, who was represented by the Chief Inspector of the corps, Victor Uweh, said that NSCDC would carry out investigation on the suspects and those found culpable would be prosecuted.
Meanwhile, Navy has released the list of 2, 850 successful candidates for its 2016 Batch 25 Recruitment Exercise which was conducted from 15 August to 12 September 2016.
Comments