The Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande has warned oil thieves and other maritime criminals within the coastal waters of Niger Delta, that it would no longer be business as usual in their nefarious trades

Rear Admiral Akinwande stated that operatives of the Nigerian Navy have been bolsterd with superior training, intelligence and firepower to confront the sea hoodlums headlong.

The FOC stressed that to boost the combat-readiness of the operatives, the Nigerian Navy has constructed a mini range as a testament to the commitment to professionalism in the conduct of its operations.

Akinwande stated this at the weekend during the commissioning of the Shooting Range at Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka in Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

He said, “The mini shooting range is a testament through Nigerian Navy’s commitment to providing personnel with the best possible training facility to enhance their capacity and capability.

“Today, we not only celebrate the completion of this facility, but also reaffirm our commitment to excellence, precision and the unyielding pursuit of efficiency in service to our nation.”

He said the facility was a key enabler towards meeting the objectives of Operation Delta Sanity 2, while expressing confidence that the shooting range will enhance personnel weapon handling and markmanship skills, particularly for those engaging in critical operations such as anti-crude oil theft, anti-smuggling, anti-pyracy and anti-sea robbery operations.

Akinwande noted that the personnel operate in a challenging environment where they face threats that require swift, accurate and decisive responses.

He charged Unit Commanders to ensure that personnel were equipped with requisite skills set to meet operational objectives.

The FOC said the facility aligns with the vision of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Real Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla “to develop a highly motivated professional Naval Force capable of shaping the security outcomes within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

He, therefore, commended the CNS for recognising the importance of investing in personnel and made the construction of the mini shooting range possible.

“The Command is very grateful for its continuous support and pledge to maintain a higher standard of readiness in order to stamp out all forms of crime and criminals within the Eastern Maritime Flank inline with your strategic directives.

“We must always remember that our ultimate goal is to serve and create a safe and secure maritime environment for legitimate social economic activities to strive for National development and well being of Nigerians,” he stressed.

The Commanding Officer of the Base, Capt. Uche Aneke explained that the shooting range was established to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria’s Eastern Maritime flank as well as carry out other policing duties within the waterways of its operational area.

He stressed that the Base has achieved greater success in fighting crimes with numerous arrests of maritime criminals which has led to the reduction of illegal economic activities within FOB’s area of operations.