The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice-Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has stated that he is determined to deploy the arsenals of the Nigerian Navy is to stamp out all crimes committed in Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Importantly, he listed crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, piracy, terrorism and other forms of maritime crimes perpetrated on the nation’s maritime environment.
Vice-Admiral Ogalla, equally assured that the proposed Naval Base in Ogurugu community, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State will soon become a reality, assuting that he had already commenced the spadeworks, including executive and legislative engagment, towards its actualisation.
The CNS who spoke over the weekend when he hosted members of the Enugu Journalists Forum (EJF), stresses that he is determined to ensure that the mandate of the Nigerian Navy is purposefully achieved.
Admiral Ogalla who was represented by Rea-Admiral Akinola Olodude, Director (Plans) at Navy Headquarters, Abuja, disclosed that the Nigerian Navy has established appropriate linkages, and operating in synergy with the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, the Police and other relevant maritime-related security agencies, for adequate protection of the nation’s territorial waters.
“The CNS, immediately after he took over, within a short period of time, he undertook tour of the South-East states.
“He met with South-East governors, he visited each one of them, to discuss the issue of insecurity in the region.
“Even though he was on state assignment during the South-East Security Summit, but he made sure he sent a representative.
“The Naval Base in the South-East is something that is very important and very dear to his heart. Definitely, it will see the light of the day,” Admiral Olodude stated.
He described the CNS as a detribalised Nigerian, noting that no matter one’s religion, tribe or background, “he tries his best to be fair and to carry everyone along.”
Admiral Olodude urged journalists to be objective in their reportage of the activities of the Navy and avoid misrepresentation of facts.
The President of the EJF, Chief Malachy Uzendu, had told the CNS that the purpose of the visit was to congratulate him on his elevation, noting that this is the second time someone from Enugu State is occupying such an exalted position.
Chief Uzendu commended him for the establishment of a Naval Base in Ogurugu and also appealed to him to do whatever that is humanly possible to ensure that it becomes a reality.
“We believe that establishing a Naval Base in that part of the country will help resolve issues of insecurity in that axis and adjourning communities, which is already getting out of hand.
“Enugu State is one state where there had been peace until recently, because of bad elements especially in Igboeze-North where he comes from,” he noted.
The president equally called for level playing field during recruitments into the armed forces, wondering how graduates from South-East who showed interest in joining the forces, especially those with excellent grades, could be screened out and disqualified for inexplicable reasons.
“Just recently, we hear police and military authorities saying people were not joining from the South-East, but those who say so know why it appears to be so. It is because boys snd girls from the South-East are not put on the same pedestal and scale of assessment with other applicants/recruits from other parts of the country, especially the north” he regretted.
