Nigerian Navy operatives of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Ibaka in the Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State have busted a syndicate specialising in smuggling contraband goods and arrested two suspects with speed boat laden with 350kg bags of fertilisers.
Capt Uche Aneke, the Commanding Officer (CO) at FOB, stated this to journalists while handing over the suspects to the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Akwa Ibom Command. He said the feat was recorded on Tuesday, October 15, at about 8:30 am.
Aneke recalled that the Navy received intelligence reports of suspected smugglers carrying out their nefarious activities within its area of operations.
He said: “The intelligence report indicated that a speed boat was conveying some bags suspected to be fertilisers and headed to the Republic of Cameroon while transiting within the waters under FOB Ibaka Area of Operations.”
The CO, therefore, warned any individual or groups interested in smuggling illegal consignments in or out of Nigeria or planning to carry out any form of criminality within Nigeria’s coastal waters to desist forthwith or be ready to face drastic consequences.
“Under the current leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogall will ensure that, it is impossible for maritime crimes to continue in the maritime and coastal areas of Akwa Ibom,” Aneke warned.
He vowed that criminal elements in the FOB, Ibaka area of operations under the Eastern Naval Command Area of Responsibility (ENCAR) would continue to be detected using advanced surveillance equipment and intelligence.
Receiving the suspects and the exhibit, Mr Dada Fagbola, the Deputy Superintendent of Customs (DSC), Akwa Ibom Command, thanked the Nigerian Navy for providing safety in Nigerian waters.
Fagbola assured the Navy that thorough investigations would be followed up to ascertain the level of culpability of the suspects and subsequent prosecution “in line with the harmonised standard operating procedure on arrest, detention and prosecution of vessels and persons in Nigeria’s maritime environment.”
