The Nigerian Navy has arrested a vessel with suspected illegal petroleum products while carrying out excercise ‘NchekwaOshimiri’ interpreted in Igbo language as ‘protection of the sea’.
The arrest according to the navy took place during the four-day exercise, entitled: ‘Chief of Naval Staff Annual Sea Inspection’ aimed at enhancing the presence of naval officers at the sea to increase security and built confidence of merchant ships and stakeholders within the maritime sector.
The force was disclosed that the ship has been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigations and action. Speaking at the end of the exercise, training and operations officer of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Zakariyya Muhammad, noted that the exercise has enabled the navy to perform better as well as improve security within the Gulf of Guinea.
He said: “Our enhanced presence through this exercise has given more confidence to the merchant ships to ply their trade including other maritime trade to prosper and to be conducted without fear of threat from any maritime criminals.”
The Commanding Officer, Co-Captain of NNS KADA, Tony Bassey Archbong, explained that the exercise covers many aspects of security challenges such as the issues of piracy, illegal unreported, unregulated fishing.
guardian