The Nigerian Navy
on Tuesday said it was planning to establish a base in Tongeji Island of Ogun
State to assist other security agencies in combating crime.
The Flag Officer of
the Western Naval Command, Ferguson Bobai, made the disclosure when he visited
the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, in Abeokuta.
Mr. Bobai said the
new base is aimed at fighting “maritime illegalities” which he said had become
rampant in the area.
He said on the directive of the Chief Naval Staff, he had already visited the
site to assess available facilities.
Tongeji Island is
a border community in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state on the Nigeria-
Republic Benin border and is said to be rich in crude oil.
Mr. Bobai said
when established, the naval base would serve as a checkpoint on the
Nigeria-Benin Republic border.
“We have made some
arrests since the beginning of this year stretching from people dealing with
petroleum products and these products are gotten from pipeline vandalism and
smuggling of contraband and drugs we’ve all seized in conjunction with
Customs,” Mr. Bobai affirmed.
“So, it is hoped
that when the naval base is established there, we will act as a checkpoint
where people must pass to go to Benin Republic, and once our presence is
established there, it’s like you virtually block them. We expect to see a
decline in some of these illegal activities within that stretch.”
On the incessant
militant activities in the state, Mr. Bobai said “As a matter of fact, you know
that there is an on-going operation called Operation Awatse. Awatse is a Hausa
name to say scatter; so we hope that in a short while, the Operation Awatse
would swing into intensive operations to ensure that all these places are cleaned
up of these militants”.
The State Governor
Amosun urged navy and the federal government to continue to assist the state in
combating the militants.
He said the
Federal government should take the Tongeji island issue serious to avoid the
mistake the Nigeria government made with Bakassi Peninsula.
