Navy applauds Anambra for checking insurgency, bunkering

The Nigerian Navy on Tuesday applauded the Anambra government’s plan to position a mobile artillery on the River Niger to check insurgency and oil bunkering.

The Commanding officer of the Naval Out-Post, Onitsha, Navy Capt. Mike Oamen, told NAN in Onitsha that Governor Willie Obiano had pledged to donate a high artillery gun-boat to the navy.

Oamen said that the gun-boat would make Onitsha and its neighbouring riverine communities safer once it was positioned.

“The governor has said it, I know he would deliver. He had said it severally; so I am very hopeful.

“The gun-boats are not the normal boats here, you know you can get a normal boat for like four, five, six million naira.

“But we know the gun-boat brings superior fire power on water; it is like artillery on water.

“And that is why when it is on water everybody clears because of the fire power that it has. So, we are talking about ₦20 million, ₦25 million.

“That is the navy, the navy is a very expensive force; that’s how it is. That’s what separates super power from ordinary power nation.”

The commander gave the assurance that the days of using Onitsha and its environs as operation grounds for oil bunkering were over.

“Insurgents should steer clear of Onitsha and its environs since we have constant water-ways and land patrol as well as support from the state joint security task-force,” he said.

NAN reports that the navy has taken over the task of restoring security, sanity, and night life in Onitsha and the neighbouring riverine communities.