Authorities of the Nigerian Navy, on Thursday, April 9, 2015 issued a serious warning to citizens to avoid movement on the waterways in Anambra State during the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday, April 11, 2015.
The warning was prompted by a directive from the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jubrin, in their bid to reduce the activities of miscreants during the period.
Commanding Officer, Naval Outpost Onitsha, Navy Captain Mike Oamen, gave the warning in an interview with Vanguard on the preparedness of the Navy for the April 11, state Houses of Assembly elections.
Oamen stated that only the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ad hoc staff and other accredited election workers, are permitted on grounds that they would present a valid means of identification.
He said, “Those who may want to use the waterways to perpetrate electoral fraud and violence should keep off the water ways in Anambra State and its environs of Delta State, as the Nigerian Navy will deal with anyone caught around the waterways on Saturday.
“There will not be any commercial activity on, along and around the waterways on Saturday, no activity will be tolerated on or along the waterways.
“We are warning all to keep off, as any attempt to dare the Nigerian Navy on the waterways that day will result to severe consequence for the offenders.”
“The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Jubrin, has graciously provided the Onitsha Naval Outpost with a new gunboat and we will continue to dominate the waterways like we have been doing and are ready to flush out perpetrators of illegal activities on the waterways.”
