The Nigerian Navy has destroyed 15 militants camps in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States in the last eight months, Commander, NNS Jubilee, Commodore Abdulmajid Ibrahim has said.
It also arrested 17 piracy and sea robbery suspects and seized 285,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and dangerous ammunitions from them within the same period.
Ibrahim told newsmen on Thursday at the Jubilee Base in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom that the militant camps were discovered and destroyed during its anti-piracy and anti-sea robbery operations in the 1,800 creeks within the jurisdiction of the base.
The Commander revealed that the joint patrol operations of the Navy and Nigerian Police have resulted in relative peace and security in the area and brought illegal bunkering and trade on the water ways to the barest minimum.
“Within six months as Commander of the base, we have destroyed 15 militant camps, arrested 17 suspects during our operations and recovered 285,000 litres of AGO and ammunition from them, and have handed over the suspects and items to the prosecuting agencies.
“We do the work of the Police and involve in joint patrol everyday with them. This has led to relative security and peace in the area, and brought illegal bunkering to the barest minimum.
“Our strategy is Continuous Aggressive Patrol. We try to dominate the water space and maritime environment. Within the last six months, there has been no attack on the NNS infrastructural base.
“We have maintained a good civil-military relationship with our host community, through our Corporate Social Responsibility. We carry out free medical consultations and give out drugs within our capacity in our medical rhapsody outreach programme.” He explained.
The Commander attributed the success of their operations to Intelligence information gathered from members of the public and called for more support in that regard.
He assured that information sources would remain confidential and protected, adding that to effectively deal with piracy and sea robbery, members of the public must volunteer credible information to the Navy.
He maintained that perpetrators of illegal maritime activities live within the communities and are known to the people insisting that volunteering of information remained vital to eradicating piracy and militancy in the area.
