Security: Navy commences “Exercise Calm Water 2” … discovers illegal refinery in Rivers

Chinazor Megbolu    |     

In a bid to fight piracy and restore safety at sea, the Nigerian Navy has commenced “Exercise Calm Water 2” by deploying troops on board two major platforms and gunboats in a special military exercise.

The security agency announced this at weekend, stating the operation tagged, “Exercise Calm Water 2” is targeted to fight maritime crimes such as oil theft and piracy.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral David Adeniran during the flag-off of the exercise at the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory’s Jetty in Calabar, Cross River, said the exercise is another means of fighting piracy, oil smugglers, militancy and other criminal activities taking place on the Eastern Waters in line with the directive of Chief of the Naval Staff.

He also noted that the Exercise, “Bekan Mmon II”, which means “Calm Water II” in Efik, is one of the much operational engagements that the Command is  undertaking presently, explaining that the two major platforms and gunboats will be manned by the command’s personnel.

Adeniran, however, posited that operations Bekan Mmon will consolidate on the gains of operation Calm Water 1 that will lead to increase in shipping activities, crude oil production and other transformational economic activities on the Eastern Waters.

Meanwhile, in another development, the Navy through its drone discovered an illegal refining site with 300,000 litres of diesel and a large wooden boat containing 314 barrels of crude oil in Cawthorne channel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Navy personnels of the Nigerian Navy ship, Pathfinder, however, deactivated the site after the discovery.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche made this discovery known during the ongoing military operations across Nigeria, stating the troops also dismantled another illegal refining site at Bille creek.

“The Nigerian Navy ship, Pathfinder, in conjunction with Forward Operating Base Bonny, located an illegal refining site at Bille creek with one tarpaulin and two metal reservoirs with about 60,000 litres of illegally refined AGO and 125.7 barrels of product suspected to be stolen crude oil.

The storage facilities and product were dismantled while the site was deactivated,” he said.