Personnel of the Nigerian Navy have again raided more militant hideouts on Dayspring Island in Cross River, confiscating ten outboard boat engines belonging to the miscreants.

Over the weekend, the Navy, in conjunction with troops of the Nigerian Army 13 Brigade, raided the camp of a notorious militant known as “Juju” in the Idung axis of the Island, seizing two boats fitted with outboard engines, while Juju fled. The camp was burnt down.

The Navy had imposed a 13-hour restriction on maritime movement from 5:00 pm to 6:00am to prevent the militants from operating with impunity, kidnappings and extorting riverine communities along the Calabar–Oron waterways. It also established a forward security outpost at Idung 1 (Peacock Crossing), as part of efforts to maintain continuous pressure on identified militant enclaves within the island.

In a statement on Tuesday, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, said that troops are maintaining continuous pressure across identified militant enclaves within the island.

“In a related operation based on fresh intelligence, troops advanced into a creek near Akpamfi, where additional militant logistics had been concealed. On sighting advancing naval personnel, the militants fled, abandoning two fibre boats and one 200-horsepower outboard engine. The equipment was confiscated and towed to the naval security outpost.

“These sustained operations are part of a deliberate effort to dismantle the logistics backbone of militant groups, as fibre boats and high-powered outboard engines remain critical enablers of their criminal activities across the waterways,” Folorunsho said.

According to him, the continued offensive has significantly degraded the operational capability of the militants, restricted their movement, and denied them safe havens within the Island.

He said the Navy remains resolute in sustaining the pressure and will continue follow-up operations until all criminal elements are completely flushed out and the waterways are secured for legitimate activities. (The Guardian)