The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has tasked Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy personnel in “Operation Awatse” to flush out criminal elements and eliminate pipeline vandalism in Lagos and Ogun states.
Addressing the troops during an unscheduled visit to Arepo Town along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and Majidun in Ikorodu, Lagos State, the Naval chief charged the troops to intensify efforts at bringing the untoward activities of criminal elements, pipeline vandals and crude oil thieves to an earliest conclusion.
According to a statement by Capt. Suleman Dahun, Admiral Ibas enjoined the troops to live up to expectation and maintain discipline.
Operation Awatse is a joint operation involving the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy and is aimed at eliminating the problems of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft in the riverine areas of Lagos and Ogun States.
It may be recalled that the Nigerian Navy component of the operation impounded over 5,000 jerry cans of suspected stolen petroleum products last year in Ikorodu area of Lagos State
“The fleet renewal, a major trust of the Nigerian Navy Transformation Plan, received a boost with the commissioning of 25 Epenal gunboats for naval operations in the Niger Delta. While on a working visit to naval formations in the Niger Delta recently, the CNS also sensitized communities on the need to eschew criminal activities in their areas,” the statement said.
