The Nigerian Navy is set to establish a base in the Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
A delegation from the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, revealed the good news during a courtesy visit to Governor Nasir Idris, at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi.
Speaking during the visit, the leader of the delegation, Rear Admiral Patrick Nwatu, said the visit was part of efforts to expand the maritime strategy of the Nigerian Navy.
Patrick Nwatu said, in addition to its statutory area of responsibility in the maritime domain, in the offshore and sea, to support maritime security in the hinterland.
According to Nwatu, the River Niger is a great national asset that has given Nigeria a lot of goodwill, by supporting agriculture and power generation, which also remains a source of livelihood to the citizens.
Unfortunately, with the insurgency and conflicts in Nigeria, that same River Niger, in spite of its good potential, is being utilized by some criminal elements, to escalate the level of insecurity in our country.
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The team leader expressed optimism that with the support of the governor and people of Kebbi, the move would pave the way for improved security architecture of the country, especially with regard to safety in the Northwest.
The Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris described the idea as a very good and holistic development, coupled with the security challenges bedeviling the southern part of Kebbi.
He appreciated the support that culminated in the successes being recorded against the bandits terrorizing the area.
The governor recalled that the Republic of Benin used to be one of the peaceful countries in Africa; “however, the country is also facing challenges of security, not to talk of the Republic of Niger, and Kebbi shares a border with the two countries.”
He assured the delegation that the state government would do everything possible to create an enabling environment for them to operate.
Idris observed that the gesture by the Nigerian Navy was for the good of Kebbi people, assuring that a temporary accommodation would be provided for their take-off, pending the construction of a permanent structure.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
