Authorities of the Nigerian Navy, yesterday, warned that it would not tolerate movement on the waterways in Anambra State during the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday and advising those doing business there to keep off.
According to the Navy, the warning became imperative in keeping with the directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jubrin, for the waterways to be rid of miscreants and those who might want to use them to cause trouble during the elections.
Commanding Officer, Naval Outpost Onitsha, Navy Captain Mike Oamen, gave the warning in an interview with Vanguard on the preparedness of the Navy for the April 11, state Houses of Assembly elections.
According to him, only Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials, ad hoc staff and other accredited election workers, who must have valid means of identification, would be allowed movement in the waterways on Saturday.
He said: “Those who may want to use the waterways to perpetrate electoral fraud and violence should keep off the water ways in Anambra State and its environs of Delta State, as the Nigerian Navy will deal with anyone caught around the waterways on Saturday.
“There will not be any commercial activity on, along and around the waterways on Saturday, no activity will be tolerated on or along the waterways.
“We are warning all to keep off, as any attempt to dare the Nigerian Navy on the waterways that day will result to severe consequence for the offenders.”
He called on politicians and their party members to play by the rules and avoid inciting youths against the state.
He said: “The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Jubrin, has graciously provided the Onitsha Naval Outpost with a new gunboat and we will continue to dominate the waterways like we have been doing and are ready to flush out perpetrators of illegal activities on the waterways.”
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