BY GABRIEL OKECHUKWU, PORT HARCOURT
Nigerian Navy has arrested seven suspected vandals and confiscated a big Cotonou boat loaded with drums of petroleum products.
The arrest was made as part of Exercise Obangame Express 2022 within Central Naval Command Area of Responsibility.
Similarly, two fishing trawlers were seized and suspects arrested as part of the same exercise within five Nautical miles of Nigeria water ways for engaging in illegal and unregulated fishing.
Briefing News men on the development, the Officer in Tactical Command of Obangame Exercise, Commodore Abiodun Bankole described the arrests as a testimony to the success of Obangame operation, which is aimed at anti bunkering, illegal fishing, Narcotics among others.
Commodore Bankole maintained that one of the major objectives of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, is to have zero tolerance in maritime crimes so as to boost economic activities.
The ongoing exercise is characterized by several drills and operations such as, checking Illegal and unregulated fishing, trafficking in persons, illegal arms deal, oil bunkering/pipeline vandalism , narcotics anti piracy among others, which were carried out in conjunction with sister agencies including the Ministry of Justice,, EFCC, Imigration, Department of Fisheries and NDLEA .
PHOTO SPEAK EXERCISE OBANGAME EXPRESS 2022
