The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has issued a stern warning to the Nigerian Navy to return the eight gunboats he donated to them within seven days if not used to patrol the territorial waterways of the state.
Wike while giving his score card on his two years in office as governor of the state, at the Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Center, in Port Harcourt, on Monday, declared: “I gave the navy the gun boats to patrol the territorial waters of Rivers State to combat sea piracy and criminal activities on our waterways.
“The gun boats were bought with Rivers money. I did not give the navy the gun boats to provide marine security to other states. I am yet to see the involvement of the gun boats in combating sea piracy and criminal activities in our waterways.”
He said; “If the navy is not prepared to deploy the gun boats I gave them to patrol the waterways of Rivers State in the next seven days, then, the gun boats should be returned to us.
“I told them when I gave them the gun boats to deploy them in patrolling the waterways of the state. Other states receive statutory monthly allocation as Rivers State, so, we will not accept a situation where gun boats bought with Rivers money will be used to provide marine security for other states.”
Governor Wike had pointed out while presenting the eight gun boats to the navy through Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, the Chief of Naval Staff, that his government’s partnership with the navy and other security agencies had yielded positive result as crime had reduced in the state.
He had insisted: “However, these gunboats are for security of lives and property of Rivers State alone as it should not be taken to neighbouring states on any account.
“Any state government that wants to secure her waterways should purchase its own gunboats because securing live and properties of Rivers people is paramount to the state government.”
Wike had pledged at the handover ceremony that the River State government would further acquire 13 Special Boats that would be distributed to the Nigerian Navy, Army and the Police.
The eight gunboats are fitted with 200 horsepower engine; 12.7mm machine guns, automatic grenade launchers and communication gadgets.
Vice Admiral Ete-Ibas had stated at the inauguration ceremony, in Port Harcourt, that the eight gunboats would complement another batch of 12 gunboats delivered earlier by the Rivers government.
Governor Wike also promised at the event to donate 13 more gunboat, bringing the government’s contribution to 33.
Ete-Ibas had assured Governor Wike at the handover ceremony that the gunboats would be deployed to impose order and security along the waterways in Rivers State with focus to boost economic activities.
“This deployment would facilitate free passage for the people to conduct their legitimate businesses without hindrance by criminal elements.
“The Navy appreciates the expectation attendant to delivery of these gunboats and we assure that the Navy will be prompt in committing the assets to operation.
“The gunboats would boost the navy’s patrol capabilities and speed up response of troops to reported crime scenes and thereby discourage criminality on the waterways.”
