Navy to Set Up Comand Post in Lake Chad Region: Spokesman

President Muhammadu Buhari has
approved the establishment of a naval
command post in the Lake Chad region in
a bid to strengthen the fight against
insurgency in the North-East.
The Director of Naval Information,
Commodore Chris Ezekobe, disclosed this
during a courtesy visit to the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
“There is a presidential directive to set up
a command post in the Lake Chad Region
and that is ongoing,” said the naval
spokesman.
According to him, naval personnel for the
command post are currently undergoing
training in the North East and will be
deployed once it becomes operational.
Ezekobe said that the navy had three
categories of forces working in the North-
East.
Similarly, the naval spokesman said that
the navy had acquired 30 repellent boats
and was expecting 50 more by the end of
May to enhance security in the Niger
Delta Region.
According to him, this will make it difficult
for the criminals to operate in that
domain.
“We have improved on our surveillance
capability and the regional maritime
awareness capability.
“We have increased the number of
satellite stations along the coasts.
“Essentially, our territorial waters are well
covered by the surveillance system.
“We have acquired one Offshore Patrol
Vessel from China and the other will
arrive before the end of May,” he said.
The naval spokesman said that between
70 and 80 per cent of the nation’s wealth
comes from the maritime environment,
hence the need to secure the terrain.
“We need to partner with other maritime
security agencies, the media and other
stakeholders.
“It is a collective effort and we must
secure that environment to make our
nation prosperous and great again,”
Ezekobe said.