The Chairman of the House Committee on the Nigerian Navy, Abdulsamad Dasuki on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to consider the presentation of a Maritime Security Supplementary Bill for immediate equipment purchase for the Nigerian Navy.
Dasuki who made this known during an oversight visit of the Committee at the Navy Headquarters in Abuja, said the equipment purchase will enable the Nigerian Navy tackle the security challenges in the Niger Delta region and the Gulf of Guinea.
He noted that the situation in the Niger Delta area and the increasing reports of piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea deserves special attention similar to the special intervention fund provided for the fight against insurgency in the North East.
He added that the provision of such funding can support the immediate purchase of equipment and any logistic requirements which may be required for any naval operation.
Dasuki said the importance of the operations of the navy is evident considering the strategic importance of the Gulf of Guinea, and the critical infrastructure that supports the Nigeria economy as most oil and gas installations are situated offshore or along the rivers and water ways of the country.
He added that the present situation in the maritime domain calls for a stronger maritime policing architecture spearheaded by the Navy to effectively combat all forms of maritime crimes.
Speaking earlier, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas said, “the navy, very unlike other Services, works twenty four hours daily; our policing role places on us enormous responsibility the other Services perhaps do not have.
“It therefore means that when we have ships out there, twenty four hours daily, those ships are running, they are manned, and in that singular responsibility that we have, enormous resources are consumed.”
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