Naval Chief charges officers to be at alert, redouble efforts to check criminal elements

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, has said that his team is working in conjunction with the armed services and security agencies to ensure lasting peace in Anambra State.

Addressing newsmen on Friday shortly after a meeting with Governor Willie Obiano at the Governor’s Lodge, Onitsha, the Naval Chief charged officers and soldiers in the state to be on alert and redouble their efforts on criminal elements attempting to truncate the existing peace in the state.

Gambo, who earlier made an operational visit to Onitsha Naval Outpost, described the maiden visit as timely as well as period of sober reflection following the ugly incident.

He said: “I’m here on operational visit to Onitsha Naval Outpost. We wouldn’t have been here but for expediency following the two separate incidents we had last week that led to the loss of some of our men and two weapons

“Even though the attack was not limited to our men, because I understand that Correctional service team conveying a suspect to the court was also attacked.

“I’m here to reassure our staff at the Naval Outpost who have been here since 2010 to redouble their efforts and to be more alert based on the potent threats we’re observing now from the Eastern Security Network, the security arm of the IPOB.

“We’re working in conjunction with the armed services and security agencies to ensure we bring lasting peace to this state which has been peaceful for quite a long time now.

“This is line with Mr. President directives after our inauguration to service chiefs to put heads together to ensure we change the deepening insecurity situation around the country so our people can have peace and do their job well.”

The directive is coming on the heels of recent attacks on security personnel and formations in the state.

Four naval officers were killed in the course of the separate attacks by unknown gunmen.