C’River, FG In Talks Over Security of Bakassi

Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu  has initiated moves towards the security of the people and lands along the coastal areas and other parts of Cross River state, including the vicinity of the Bakassi Peninsula, which lies on the international border between Nigeria and the Cameroon Republic.

During a meeting with the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla in Abuja, the governor raised issues bordering on how to strengthen collaborations for security and economic advancement along the coastlines of the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport in Cross River State.

The governor spoke of the numerous naval establishments in the state, including Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, the Eastern Naval Command, the Naval War College Nigeria, and Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, among other key facilities and infrastructure in Calabar.

He also advocated an enhanced Naval presence with an operational base along the maritime border between Nigeria and Cameroon at the Bakassi maritime area, an area where the Cameroonian authorities maintain security control while the Nigerian side remains under-protected.

The meeting further stressed the necessity for cooperation to generate employment opportunities, stimulate economic growth in the state, ensure regional stability in the Bakassi coastal area, and foster collaboration with Cameroon to address mutual security challenges crucial for realizing the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport.

In response, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, pledged the Nigerian Navy’s cooperation with the Cross River State Government to initiate bathymetric surveys of the new Bakassi Islands within Nigeria’s territory to drive economic prosperity as requested by the Governor.

He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the visit and reiterated the Nigerian Navy’s dedication to ensuring a robust naval presence, particularly along the coastal areas, border regions, and the vicinity of the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport.