The Nigerian Navy is to relocate five warships to Brass in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to boost maritime security as well as the protection of offshore resources including oil and gas assets.
Suleiman Ibrahim, Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, had made the disclosure on Monday while requesting for land for a naval jetty when he and other top military officers paid a courtesy visit to Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, in Yenagoa.
The other military officers, who were part of the courtesy visit, included Everest Okonkwo, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Nigerian Army 6 Division, Olugbenga Oladipo, Commander, Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, and Michael Onyebashi, Air Officer Commanding Mobility Command of the Nigerian Air Force.
A statement by Daniel Alabrah, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said Diri had also directed the State Ministry of Lands and Survey to make available land for the construction of a naval jetty to accommodate the five warships.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to support the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to sustain the prevailing peace and protect critical national assets in the state.
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He applauded the military for their collaboration with the State Government, noting that the synergy had contributed to the existing peace and stability in Bayelsa.
“We appreciate you and commend the synergy you have established with other security agencies. The presence of personnel from various paramilitary and security agencies, alongside the military, demonstrates the importance of collaboration. By working together, you can provide sound advice to both the Federal Government and state governments on security matters”, he said.
Governor Diri used the opportunity to appeal to the military authorities that Bayelsa State should be aligned with the 6th Division, with headqurters in Port Harcourt rather than the 83rd Division in Benin, Edo State.
According to him, the proximity of Bayelsa State to Port Harcourt would make coordination and logistics easier.
He welcomed the proposed establishment of additional Army formations in Oporoma, (Southern Ijaw Local Government Area), Ekeremor (Ekeremor LGA) and Nembe (Nembe LGA) as well as an artillery regiment and a Forward Operating Base in Sampou (Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA), describing the development as a boost to security across the state’s three senatorial districts.
While addressing Ibrahim FOC CNC, Diri noted that the presence of the Navy in Brass would not only enhance security in the state but also in the country given the strategic importance of Bayelsa in oil and gas and maritime activities.
According to Diri, Bayelsa is one of the safest states in Nigeria, with no reported cases of sea piracy in several security council meetings, a feat attributed largely to the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian Navy.
The governor also directed the Ministry of Lands and Survey to immediately make land available for the construction of the Nigerian Navy Referral Hospital at Elebele.
While reacting to remarks of Oladipo, Commander JTF ODS, he described the JTF as a stabilising task force that has helped to achieve lasting security and increased oil production in the Niger Delta region.
“The history of the Joint Task Force is well known to us. For us in Bayelsa, it was a stabilising task force that came in when security and oil production were under threat. Today, the story is different. Oil production, which was declining, has started increasing, and you are doing well by working with the people and the government.
“Bayelsa is the nerve centre of the oil and gas industry, where oil was first struck in commercial quantity and made Nigeria an oil-producing country. It is no coincidence that the JTF headquarters is located here.”
Also, responding to Onyebashi, NAF AOC Mobility Command, Diri promised to look into the command’s requests for more operational vehicles, and furnishing of its primary schools among others with a view to addressing them.
In separate remarks, Everest Okoro thanked the governor for supporting the Army, particularly the 16 Brigade, and attributed its operational successes to cooperation among the military, other security agencies, the state government and local communities.
He pledged to sustain the existing partnership with the government, traditional institutions, community leaders, and other stakeholders to maintain peace and protect critical national assets.
Also speaking, Ibrahim, FOC CNC, commended the governor for the monumental development achieved under his administration.
He disclosed that he had 11 warships under his Command, and that the ships were currently stationed in Delta and Rivers states because Bayelsa does not have a port to host them.
Oladipo, in his speech, attributed increased oil production in the Niger Delta region to improved security, noting that Nigeria exceeded its OPEC quota for the first time in over five years.
He also revealed that the command’s mediation centre resolved over 300 cases in the preceding month, urging oil operators and host communities to seek peaceful resolutions rather than disrupt production.
Oladipo projected that national oil production could surpass three million barrels per day by next year.
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