The Nigerian Navy said at the weekend that it was relocating its Basic Seaman Training School to Isaka, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State to enable it check the activities of militants in the Niger Delta region.
Isaka Town is home to a militant group, the Niger Delta Vigilante whose leader, Ateke Tom, had been declared wanted by the Joint Military Task Force in the state.
Director of Naval Information, Captain Obiora Medani, who made this known at the annual Chief of Naval Staff inspection tour of facilities in Port
Harcourt, said as the new school was located along the creeks, security would be provided to check the activities of militants there.
He said the force would be better positioned to undertake anti-terrorism training because of the natural location to the creeks, which has remained most vulnerable to militant attacks in the state.
Speaking earlier, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye, reassured Nigerians of the Command�s resolve in performing its functions, especially in tackling the security problems of the Niger Delta region.
He said the visit to Rivers State was meant to access the performance of Naval Personnel, their operational capabilities, efficiency, state of health and welfare, as well as to look at the infrastructure by also checking procedures and processes being followed in keeping records.
He said inspection of record keeping procedure was last carried out in 1998, adding: “We felt that in order to make our plans, we need to know not only what is there but how we are projecting into the future.”
He, therefore, promised to partner with other stakeholders, particularly other security agencies and the Joint Task Force in security operations in the state.