The newly appointed Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of the Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Olushola Oluwagbire, has issued a stern warning to illegal crude oil bunkerers, sea pirates, and other criminal elements to desist from their activities or face arrest and prosecution. The FOC read the riot act to these criminals during a recent visit to the Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) Pathfinder in Port Harcourt.
Rear Admiral Olushola Oluwagbire, who was inspecting ongoing projects being executed by the Commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Suleiman Ibrahim, emphasized that the Eastern Naval Command will do everything possible to ensure that the mandate given to the Command by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Jubril Gambo, is fulfilled.
In his statement, the FOC warned that the Eastern Naval Command will smoke out all criminal elements within its area of responsibility and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. He stated that his leadership will work tirelessly to ensure that the mandate given to the Command is carried out to the letter.
“The only word I have for criminal elements who have remained unrepentant is that they should stay out of the Eastern Naval Command’s area of responsibility because we are going to look for them. We are going to smoke them out and we are going to prosecute them,” the FOC said.
The Flag Officer Commanding also commended Commodore Suleiman Ibrahim for his efforts in providing a conducive working environment for personnel of the Nigerian Navy. He expressed his satisfaction with what he had seen at the NNS Pathfinder and wished the Commander well.
With the Eastern Naval Command’s renewed commitment to tackling illegal activities on Nigerian waters, including crude oil theft and piracy, it is expected that the region will become safer for maritime businesses and international trade.