Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, former Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, has disclosed that 74 persons were arrested for offences ranging from drug trafficking, pipeline vandalisation to sea robbery among others, within the command’s area of responsibility in the South-West in year 2021.
Items recovered within the period, he said, included 178,650 litres of stolen Premium Motor Spirit, 29 vehicles and other equipment valued at over N500 million.
Gbassa made the disclosure during the farewell parade organised in his honour at the NNS Beecroft Parade Ground.
He stated that high-profile vessels and persons involved in drug trafficking were arrested during the period under review. Among them were the arrest of MV CHAYENEE NAREE and MT KARTERIA conveying cocaine from Brazil to Nigeria.
The arrest, he said, effectively disrupted the illegal trade on the route, stressing, “The Western Naval Command under my watch initiated a series of operations to combat the menace of piracy, illegal oil bunkering, drug trafficking and other related crimes within the Command’s Area of Responsibility.
“We conducted Ex Omi Mimo (Clear Water) to enhance the security of the Command’s maritime domain; Ex Oluso, a harbour defence exercise aimed at working up the ships and Operation Okun Alafia to consolidate the gains of enhanced security in the nation’s Maritime Environment and maintain credible presence at sea with over 7,000 hours of patrols amongst others.
“Cumulatively, these efforts resulted in the Command recording the lowest number of incidences of pirate attacks and sea robbery in the last 28 years and by extension, the Nigerian Maritime Domain and the Gulf of Guinea in general as attested to by the International Maritime Bureau Report of 2021.
“Similarly, under JTF SW Op Awatse, we emplaced a series of measures that led to the arrest and disruption of activities of various notorious pipeline vandals, particularly those operating at Baruwa area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos. The seizure, on August 12, 2021, of four tanker trucks and subsequent trailing and arrest of some of the kingpins, effectively restored sanity to the hitherto criminal hotspot.
”It is heartwarming that Op Awatse conducted a total of 1,126 patrols leading to the arrest of 74 persons, recovery of 178,650 litres of stolen Premium Motor Spirit which were decanted to NNPC storage facility, and 29 vehicles and other equipment valued at over N500 million.
”Majority of the seized vehicles have been handed over to the NSCDC in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for prosecution. It is pertinent to state that these efforts ensured unhindered flow of petroleum products on the System 2B Pipeline and availability of products to the populace.”
He attributed the feats recorded during the period under review to the commitment, hard work and dedication of the officers and men of the command. He, therefore, appealed to them to extend the same hand of fellowship to his successor, Rear Admiral Yakubu Wambai.
The new FOC, who described Gbassa as a course mate and friend, stated that Lagos State was not a new terrain to him, as he had worked in different capacities within the zone.
