From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Governor of Cross Rivers State, Senator Bassey Otu, has called on the Nigerian Navy to increase its presence in Bakassi by deploying more personnel and equipment to ensure security for the three islands remaining in the country after two of the original five Bakassi islands were ceded to Cameroon.
Governor Otu stated this when he visited the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, in his office at the Naval headquarters, Abuja.
The Governor said: “We need a serious naval presence at the Bakassi peninsula. We are aware that the Federal Government ceded two out of the five islands to Cameroon.
“We are here to let the Navy know that we need to do the same in our part of the island as well because our part of the island is not fully manned.
“We know issues of security, particularly with the Navy and equipment is capital intensive. However, when it comes to security of our people and efforts to boost trade, we will spare no effort to make our state safe, especially with the coming of the Bakassi seaport”.
While commending the Nigerian Navy for the wonderful efforts in providing and ensuring security for the state particularly in the riverine communities of the state, the governor said that the Nigerian Navy deserves kudos for the relative peace and security being enjoyed in the state.
Welcoming the governor to the naval headquarters, Vice Admiral Ogalla said Cross Rivers State was a strategic coastal state not only for the Nigerian Navy but also Nigeria as a whole, noting that it was the gateway to the nation from the eastern corridor, hence there was absolute necessity to fill in the gaps in terms of provision of security.
He said: “In line with your request, we are going to review our operational strategies to seeing to the establishment of Forward Operational Bases and provide more security.
“I promise that as you are leaving this headquarters, work is commencing towards coming up with the modalities of bringing these plans to fruition”.
