The Nigerian
Navy has pledged continued support to fight against all forms of threats bedeviling
the nation’s maritime domain security.
Navy has pledged continued support to fight against all forms of threats bedeviling
the nation’s maritime domain security.
The Chief of
Naval Staff(CNS), Vice-Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, expressed this at the opening of
a two-day maritime stakeholders’ conference on sustaining the sector, which
held on Monday at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.
The CNS said the maritime domain remains
crucial to the development of Nigeria and maritime security would foster
maritime development.
crucial to the development of Nigeria and maritime security would foster
maritime development.
He said that
there was however growing concerns of the vast resources of the maritime
industry being undermined by multi-faceted domestic, sub-regional and
international threat and vulnerability.
there was however growing concerns of the vast resources of the maritime
industry being undermined by multi-faceted domestic, sub-regional and
international threat and vulnerability.
The CNS said
that within the past decade, there had been issues of illegal bunkering
operations of illicit refineries in the swamps of the Niger Delta.
that within the past decade, there had been issues of illegal bunkering
operations of illicit refineries in the swamps of the Niger Delta.
He also
noted that attacks, pollution, drug, small arms trafficking, kidnapping,
unregulated fishing had been across the domain.
noted that attacks, pollution, drug, small arms trafficking, kidnapping,
unregulated fishing had been across the domain.
He said, “These
endemic threats have resulted in constraints on economic prospects.
endemic threats have resulted in constraints on economic prospects.
“Growing
crime and adverse political consequences are enough to stand on the way and
certainly truncate any progress made here if not decisively addressed.”
crime and adverse political consequences are enough to stand on the way and
certainly truncate any progress made here if not decisively addressed.”
He urged the minister to consider the security
in the projections for the maritime domain in Nigeria.
in the projections for the maritime domain in Nigeria.
He also pledged
the commitment and support of the Nigerian navy to a secured maritime
environment and hoped the post conference activities would be backed with the
kind of resolve that stimulated the conference.
the commitment and support of the Nigerian navy to a secured maritime
environment and hoped the post conference activities would be backed with the
kind of resolve that stimulated the conference.
