CNS Warns Personnel against Collusion with Criminals
Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas - Chief of Naval Staff
*Navy decorates 19 Rear Admirals
By Kingsley Nwezeh
The Nigerian Navy yesterday warned personnel against collusion with criminals to sabotage the efforts of the Navy to counter illegal oil bunkering and crude oil theft in the country.
The Navy also decorated 19 Commodores recently promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with their new ranks.
Speaking at the decoration ceremony, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, said the Navy in collaboration with other security agencies had strived to protect the economic mainstay of the country through various operations to counter illegal oil bunkering and crude oil theft in the country.
“While there are significant achievements in the fight against this maritime crimes, there are some personnel still colluding with criminals to sabotage these efforts.
“Let me therefore that any act of collusion with criminals or sabotage of measures emplaced to checkmate illegalities will be met with stiff sanctions in accordance with the law of the land”, he said.
He urged the newly promoted officers that “as leaders of the service, you are expected to be above board and ensure that your subordinates equally buy into the zero-tolerance stance of the NN against all forms of illegalities and criminalities at sea and ashore”
In his remarks, the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), reminded the officers that promotion comes with greater expectations and responsibilities in the discharge of their duties.
He said the Navy’s operating environment and the nation at large was rife with daunting security challenges including resource theft and sabotage of critical oil and gas supporting infrastructure.
In his vote of thanks, Rear Admiral A A Adesokpe, who spoke on behalf of the decorated officers, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Navy Board and the CNS for the approval of their promotion and pledged the resolve of the officers to rededicate themselves to the discharge of assigned duties
