Navy Launches Equipment to Protect Territorial Waterways

The Nigerian Navy has launched equipment that can help protect the nation’s water ways from criminal activities.

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, disclosed this during the inauguration of a project tagged: “Falcon Eye” at the Navy Headquarters in Abuja recently.

Ibas said the equipment was procured to assist the naval personnel see beyond the horizon, adding the Falcon Eye (Over the Horizon Maritime Surveillance from Detection to Interception), was a capacity enhancer. According to him, cost of patrols was reduced and allowed accurate ways of going about maritime surveillance.

“When you have troops patrolling without focus, we can sit back at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja and identify some vessels of interests and investigate them.

This way, our operations become easier, more efficient and very effective,” he said.

The Naval said, when completed, everything will be easier for the naval personnel to carry out their tasks effectively.

The Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who was also present at the ceremony, said the project was a positive and welcome development.

He noted that the new equipment would assist the Navy in keeping an eye on the nation’s maritime domain.

Peterside said: “It will make Navy to be more aware of the activities going on in maritime domain. “It is indeed a wonderful development. I am quite impressed with what I saw today, I am also in touch with my Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) counterparts, and we agree that the equipment is strategic to our plans.”

He further explained that the equipment would also provide Nigerian Navy sufficient advantage to see, tackle piracy and other criminal activities within the nation’s water ways.

“The equipment will help in the area of detection of criminal activities, interception of criminals and record keeping,” Peterside added.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), who inaugurated the project, commended Navy for coming out with such a brilliant idea.

Monguno urged the Nigerian Navy to continue with the good work in the interest of the nation’s water ways.

The NSA, however, expressed confidence that the project would go a long way in reducing all forms of criminal activities in the nation’s water ways.