By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Commander, Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, Commodore Martins Fakrogha has warned sea pirates and their sponsors to keep off the territorial waterways as the Command under his watch is committed to ensuring a safer maritime highway in the state.
Commodore Fakrogha stated this when members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council visited the command on a courtesy visit last week.
He said that the charge as handed to the Command by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla was to ensure a zero tolerance of any form of criminality on the Nation’s waterways.
Fakrogha’s warning came on the heels of the reported criminal activities of sea pirates, who frequently carried out attacks, maimed and sometimes killed the fishermen on Akwa Ibom waterways and carted away thier valuables at gunpoint.
Promising to end menace, Commodore Fakrogha sounded a warning, “A new sheriff is in town, sea pirates and their sponsors should be careful. When I catch them, I will deal with them in accordance with the law. We don’t take rubbish from anybody. Whoever they are getting their backing from will also not escape the full wrath of the law. This actually is coming as a directive from Chief of the Naval Staff who has told us that he has zero tolerance for any form of criminality in our waterways.” The Commander warned.
The NNS Jubilee Commander, who regretted that the sea pirates live in the up land among the inhabitants, take care of thier businesses but go to high sea to rob the unsuspecting fishermen and other waterways users, called on members of the public to volunteer information to enable officers of the Command to bring them to book in line with the law.
On the waterways, he said that the Command has mapped out strategies to unsettle the sea pirates to ensure the fishermen and others doing legitimate businesses on the waterways are protected.
Among the strategies, he said include regular patrol of the waterways, providing escorts to vessels doing businesses on the waterways on demand, routine stop and search of each vessel to ascertain what vessel is being used for as well as maintaining roburst collaboration with ship and boat owners for better surveillance on the sea.
He commended the Correspondents’ Chapel members for coming to partner with the command to effectively propagate its activities.
“With this collaboration and this partnership, I want to believe that whenever we call you, you will please respond to us because from time to time, we will definitely call you.” Comdore Fakrogha assured.
Earlier, the chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Bassey Anthony represented by the Vice Chairman, Comrade Isaiah Eka told the Commander that the visit was for members to familiarize with him, and foster a roburst working relationship as he assumed office as the new Commander of NNS, Ikot Abasi.
