The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla has backed the Governor of Abia State Alex Otti for the successful launching of state coordinated security watch, Code-named ‘Operation Flush.’
The Naval Chief expressed his support at Isiala Ngwa South LGA, when he paid a working visit to Governor Otti on Wednesday.
Vice Admiral Ogalla, while appreciating Governor Otti for the payment of the operational allowances of the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies in the State, stressed that insecurity is a very serious issue, not only in the South-East but the whole country.
He backed the vision of the Abia Governor in declaring an onslaught against criminals, noting that the initiative is not just good for Abia but for the nation.
“Having visited His Excellency, we’re very impressed with the effort which he’s making towards supporting the security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Navy, in order to surmount this daunting challenge.
“We appreciate his efforts, we appreciate his contribution towards improving security in the State. Of course, he has made it one of his cardinal objectives, knowing that without security, there will be no development.
“So we commend the agenda which he has launched, which is Operation Crush, with the aim of crushing out all these bad elements which are negating the effort of government in this State and we believe that as Abia State improves, the South-East will improve and the nation will be better for it,” Ogalla said.
The visit of the Naval Chief came barely 24 hours after Otti had launched the joint ‘Operation Crush,’ to tackle the troubling incidents of kidnapping and armed banditry in the State, which had lingered for some years, especially in the border areas of Umunneochi and Isuikwuato.
Welcoming the Naval Chief and his entourage, Governor Otti showed his joy for the visit and felicitated him on his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, while also thanking President Bola Tinubu for the appointment, which he said the South-East had not had in the last 30 years.
“I am very pleased to welcome the Naval Chief here. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate him for the appointment, for going through all the screenings and for being approved.
“I thank the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for appointing one of our own. For a very long time, we have not had a Naval Chief coming from the South East. The last I could remember was over 30 years.
“We are very, very confident that you will use this opportunity to serve the people of Nigeria. You have started well, still in early days, we know that you will do very well,” Otti said.
Otti admitted that security is a priority to his administration’s agenda because “our agenda is an agenda of development for Abia State, which eventually rubs off on the whole of the South-East and Nigeria.
“You may even have security without development but you cannot have development without security. The launching of operation crush is in line with that development agenda.”
Navy Commander McDonald Uba (rtd), Brig. Gen. NJ Edet, Commander 14 Brigade, Nigerian Army Ohafia, Brig. Gen. N J Edet and Special Adviser to the governor on Security matters, Navy Commander McDonald Uba (rtd) were also at the event.
