The Nigerian Navy has taken control of Dayspring Island in Cross River State, a location previously known as one of the major militant camps in the area.
The development is part of efforts by the Navy to strengthen security on Cross River waterways and prevent criminal activities such as kidnapping, sea robbery, illegal oil activities and smuggling.
The Navy disclosed this during the closing ceremony of a three-day maritime tactical live-firing exercise, known as Exercise Littoral Fury, held around the Calabar and Dayspring Island waterways.
The Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, who represented the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, said the Navy had now occupied the former militant camp.
He explained that the location was strategically important because it sits between the Calabar Channel and the Dayspring Channel, which leads towards Cameroon.
According to him, the presence of naval personnel in the area would help improve security, protect lives and property and encourage commercial activities along the waterways.
The Navy commander said criminal activities, including kidnapping, abduction and harassment, had reduced since naval personnel were deployed to the area.
He said the occupation of the former camp would also boost confidence among people using the waterways and create a safer environment for businesses operating within the maritime corridor.
The three-day Exercise Littoral Fury was also used to test the readiness of naval personnel and improve their ability to respond to threats.
During the exercise, personnel carried out tactical drills and trained with different weapons and equipment as part of efforts to prepare them for real-life security situations.
The Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Chiedozie Okehie, said the exercise was designed to expose personnel to the kind of challenges they could face while operating in the state's waterways.
He said the Navy was also working with other security agencies to improve responses to piracy, sea robbery, illegal oil bunkering, crude oil theft, smuggling and other maritime crimes.
Okehie said the choice of the Ikang and surrounding littoral areas was deliberate because of the security challenges associated with the waterways.
The Navy said it would continue to use intelligence, technology and improved operational training to strengthen security across its area of responsibility.
For Cross River, the takeover of the former militant camp is expected to further strengthen security around the state's waterways, particularly areas linking the Calabar Channel and the route towards Cameroon.
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