CHINEDU WOSU
YENAGOA
The Nigerian Navy has assured Bayelsans and others doing legitimate businesses along the waterways of its readiness to tackle acts of piracy and kidnapping in the creeks and protect villagers from incessant harassment by sea pirates.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas gave the assurance while speaking with journalists on Wednesday during his visit to the Headquarters of the Nigerian Navy Command in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Vice Admiral Ibas said that the re-emergence of what appeared to be criminal activities in the Niger Delta has been observed by the Navy, adding that there was no reason for people to act with impunity.
He said, “the Navy will continue to carry out its constitutional role of ensuring that the maritime space of Nigeria is secure for business.”
“Those who have legitimate business will be protected from the harassment of these criminal elements and that is exactly what the Navy is poised to do,” he promised.
The Chief of Naval Staff also assured that the Navy will not fail in its mandate which has always been to ensure that the waterways are free from all encumbrances.
He called on Bayelsans to cooperate with all the security agencies not just the Navy, and assist in providing useful information about the activities of kidnappers and their hide outs.
He noted that kidnappers live on the land, but go to the creeks and waterways to kidnap innocent persons and later return to the land. “Those who kidnap leave the land to go and kidnap and go back and what we expect from the members of the public is to cooperate with the security agencies, not just the Navy alone by providing information because these guys who kidnap, by the way, are our brothers and our sisters and they stay with us.”
Hear him, “While the Navy is not expected to be at sea at all points all the time, we expect that we have cooperation from members of the public.”
