By Christiana Ekpa
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibot-Ete Ekwe Ibas has said that, the Nigerian Navy would need additional operational vessels in order to effectively tackle incidences of oil theft, sea piracy and pipeline vandalism.
Ibas stated this yesterday during the budget defence with the House of Representatives committee on navy on Wednesday
He said that, the Navya has been discharging its statutory responsibilities of secreting the nation’s territorial waters it was faced with the challenge of resource theft and pipeline vandalism.
He said “to effectively tackle these, the Navy needs adequate budgetary provision to acquire additional operational vessels”
Earlier, chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (APC, Plateau), said the Nigerian Navy was of very strategic economic importance and assured that the committee would accord it the required legislative support to achieve its mandate of tackling the menace of piracy, oil theft, bunkering and other maritime-related crimes.
He called on the naval authorities to be transparent in their activities to avoid any gridlock with the committee disclosing that the lawmakers would soon embark on a tour of all naval formations.
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