NNS Jubilee destroy 15 militants’ camps, arrest 17 pirates, others between May 2020 and January 2021

The Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, has said that, it has destroyed 15 militants’ camps within its area of jurisdiction in Akwa Ibom and some parts of Rivers States.

This was revealed by the Commander, NNS Jubilee, Commodore Abdulmajid Ibrahim, while fielding questions from Journalists Wednesday at the Jubilee Base in Ikot Abasi local government council.

According to him, the militant camps were discovered and destroyed during its anti-piracy and anti-sea robbery operations, adding that, the destruction of the militant’s camps was made possible by the Navy’s penetration of some of the 1,800 creeks within the jurisdiction of the base.

Ibrahim said that between May 2020 and January 2021, the Navy destroyed the 15 militant camps, arrested 17 piracy and sea robbery suspects, as well as seized 285,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and different kinds of ammunition from them.

He revealed as well that the joint patrol operations of the Navy and Nigerian Police have resulted in relative peace and security in the area as a result of paralyzing illegal bunkering and activities including trade on the water ways.

“Within six months as Commander of the base, we have destroyed 15 militant camps, arrested 17 suspects during our operations and recovered 285,000 litres of AGO and ammunition from them, and have handed over the suspects and items to the prosecuting agencies.

“We do the work of the Police and involve in joint patrol everyday with them. This has led to relative security and peace in the area, and brought illegal bunkering to the barest minimum.

“Our strategy is continuous aggressive patrol. We try to dominate the water space and maritime environment. Within the last six months, there has been no attack on the NNS infrastructural base.

“We have maintained a good civil-military relationship with our host community, through our Corporate Social Responsibility. We carry out free medical consultations and give out drugs within our capacity in our medical rhapsody outreach programme,” he said.

The Commander attributed the success of their operations to intelligence information gathered from members of the public and called for more support in that direction, assuring that the sources of such information would remain confidential thus shielding informants.

He further explained that to effectively deal with piracy and sea robbery, members of the public must volunteer credible information to the Navy and on time

He said the perpetrators of illegal maritime activities live within the communities and are known to the people, as such the volunteering of intelligence information was needed.