The Nigerian Navy has recorded another major breakthrough in its sustained crackdown on militancy and criminal activities in the Niger Delta, disrupting a suspected militant financing network at Dayspring Island in Cross River State.
In a statement, the Director Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho disclosed that the operation was conducted by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) VICTORY deployed at the Forward Security Outpost on Dayspring Island following credible intelligence on the activities of suspected militants operating within the Ini Abasi fishing settlement in Akpabuyo Local Government Area.
According to him, intelligence reports indicated that the location served as a meeting point and operational base for criminal elements who emerged from adjoining creeks to coordinate attacks, intimidate residents, extort fishermen and maritime transport operators, and perpetrate other criminal activities within the area.
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“Acting on the intelligence, naval personnel conducted a targeted raid on the suspected hideout and carried out a thorough search of the area”.
“Although the suspects fled upon sighting the advancing troops, the operation led to the recovery of several wraps of suspected cannabis sativa and a handwritten ledger containing names and monetary entries amounting to ₦5.529 million,” Folorunsho explained.
He noted that preliminary assessment suggests that the recovered document was used to record illegal levies imposed on local fishermen and maritime transport operators operating within the area.
The proceeds from these extortion activities are believed to have served as a significant source of funding for militant operations and other criminal enterprises within the Dayspring Island axis.
The operation represents a significant step in dismantling the financial and logistical structures that sustain criminal activities within the maritime environment.
By targeting illicit revenue streams, the Nigerian Navy continues to degrade the operational capability of criminal elements and deny them the resources required to sustain their activities.
Following the operation, naval personnel engaged community leaders and residents, reassuring them of the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to maintaining a sustained security presence and conducting intelligence-driven operations aimed at restoring lasting peace and security within the waterways.
The Nigerian Navy remains resolute in its determination to sustain aggressive patrols, targeted raids, and community-focused engagements to eliminate criminal elements, disrupt their support networks, and ensure that legitimate economic activities thrive within the nation’s maritime domain.
