Piracy: Navy Launches Massive Operation to Secure N/Delta, Maritime Sector

• Says Tompolo behind upsurge in militancy

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

In response to the upsurge in piracy and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta region of the country, the Nigerian Navy has launched a massive operation to ensure effective security of the maritime sector of the nation.

The operation, which is codenamed ‘Operation Tsare Teku’, is coming barely 48 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari, issued a strong warning to deal decisively with the trouble makers in the region in the same manner with Boko Haram terrorists.

To this end, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe, at a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, said that he has set up a Task Force Committee, headed by a Commodore, to handle the operation aimed at clearing the nation’s territorial waters of criminals.

Ibas, who was represented by the Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP), Nigerian Navy (NN), Rear Adm. Henry Babalola, disclosed that seven Nigerian Naval Ships (NNS) will be involved in the operations.

He said that four has been deployed are: NNS Okpabana, NNS Kyanwa, NNS Sagbama, and NNS Andoni; while the remaining three naval ships would join the operation later on, including NNS Centenary, NNS Burutu, and NNS Zaria.

The CNS said that the nation’s economy is feeling the bite of the piracy and other related criminal activities in the maritime area. He warned that no serious country, would tolerate the sabotage of the vital sectors of its economy and vowed that the region would be cleared of all criminal activities.

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