Fuelling of ships to combat sea pirates a major challenge - Ango

Suspected pirates are paraded aboard a naval ship after their arrest by the Nigerian Navy at a defence jetty in Lagos

File Photo: Suspected oil thieves arrested by the Nigerian Navy

File Photo: Suspected oil thieves arrested by the Nigerian Navy
File Photo: Suspected oil thieves arrested by the Nigerian Navy

Rear Admiral Jonathan Ango, a former Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, on Wednesday said that the command had recorded modest success against sea piracy despite having to to struggle to get fuel for the Command’s ships.

Ango, who made the assertion while speaking at the handing over to his successor, Rear Adm. Raph Osondu at the command’s headquarters, Apapa, said it also succeeded against other illegalities.

The FOC, however, said that the success was achieved amid the challenge of fuelling of ships to go on sea, especially this year.

Ango, who is now the Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Abuja, said that in spite of the problems the command faced, it was able to curb sea piracy significantly.

“Fuelling of ships to go to sea from the beginning of this year to this point has been a major challenge to the command.

“The funding of the Nigerian Navy has not been as required, so, we have to continuously seek for support from the Federal Government.

“We also have to ask for more funding and more avenues to get fuel so that we can always keep our ships at sea.

“Challenges in the maritime industry are not something you can spell out continuously because they come in different shapes and sizes,” he said.

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Ango said that the continuous presence of the commands ships at sea prevented sea pirates from operating on the country’s territorial waters, adding that, it was one of the strategies the command mapped out to eradicate the menace during his tenure.

“During my tenure, we recorded very minimal number of pirate attacks on board vessels because of the strategies that were put in place.

“We placed the ships at strategic points which prevented sea pirates from coming out,” he said.

Ango said that several criminals were arrested, adding that the command would continue to arrest sea pirates until total the eradication of the menace.

While thanking the personnel of the command for their support and for exhibiting high level of discipline, Ango urged them to extend the same cooperation to his successor.

Osondu, while receiving the command’s flag, commended his predecessor for the achievements recorded during his tenure and pledged to improve on the legacies.

NAN reports that the Osondu is the 35th FOC of the Western Naval Command.

NAN also reports that Osondu until his appointment was the Admiral Superintendent, Naval Doctrine and Assessment Centre

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