The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Jubilee, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, Commodore Martins Fakrogha, has expressed regrets at the fact that sea pirates terrorising the lives and properties of people in the high sea, live among the inhabitants in the up land, take care of their businesses but rob unsuspecting fishermen and other waterway users at their leisure.
Fakrogha’s regrets came on the heels of reported criminal activities of sea pirates, who habitually carry out attacks, maimed and sometimes kill the fishermen on Akwa Ibom waterways and cart away their valuables at gunpoint.
He said that the Command under his watch has mapped out strategies to unsettle the sea pirates to ensure the fishermen and others with legitimate businesses on the waterways are protected.
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Fakrogha stated this when members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council paid a courtesy visit to the Command, called on members of the public to volunteer information to enable officers of the Command to bring them to book in line with the law.
Among the strategies, he said include regular patrol of the waterways, providing escorts to vessels doing businesses on the waterways on demand, routine stop and search of each vessel to ascertain what vessel is being used for as well as maintaining robust collaboration with ship and boat owners for better surveillance on the sea.
Fakrogha warned the sea pirates and their sponsors to keep off the territorial waterways as the Command under his watch is committed to ensuring a safer maritime highway in Akwa Ibom State.
According to him, the charge as handed to the Command by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla was to ensure a zero tolerance of any form of criminality on the Nation’s waterways.
Promising to end the menace, Fakrogha sounded a warning, “A new sheriff is in town, sea pirates and their sponsors should be careful. When I catch them, I will deal with them in accordance with the law. We don’t take rubbish from anybody. Whoever they are getting their backing from will also not escape the full wrath of the law.
“This actually is coming as a directive from the Chief of Naval Staff who has told us that he has zero tolerance for any form of criminality in our waterways.”
He commended members of the Correspondents’ Chapel for coming to partner with the command to effectively propagate its activities. Fakrogha’s warning came on the heels of reported criminal activities of sea pirates, who habitually carried out attacks, maimed and sometimes killed the fishermen on Akwa Ibom waterways and carted away their valuables at gunpoint.
“With this collaboration and this partnership, I want to believe that whenever we call you, you will please respond to us because from time to time, we will definitely call you,” he assured.
Earlier, the chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Bassey Anthony represented by the Vice Chairman, Comrade Isaiah Eka told the Commander that the visit was for members to familiarise themselves with him, and foster a robust working relationship as he assumed office as the new Commander of NNS, Ikot Abasi.
