Niger Delta
Stakeholders Laud Navy’s Role In Inter-Agency Collaboration
Key players in the maritime sector have lauded the initiative of the Nigerian Navy towards enhancing inter-agency collaboration and harnessing the potentials of the maritime domain.
The stakeholders gave the commendation in Calabar at a sea trip, organised by the Naval War College, Nigeria, for participants of Course 7 and other security agencies and maritime stakeholders for inter-agency collaboration.
Speaking, Mr Chancellor Egbufor, Unit Head, Corporate Affairs, Inland Waters Authority (NIWA), said the initiative of the Navy to embark on the sea trip with maritime stakeholders was a welcome development.
Egbufor said such collaboration and exchange of ideas by maritime stakeholders would further enhance proficiency in service delivery, better collaboration at sea and also foster unity along the line of duty.
He said in view of the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedures (HSOP), the collaboration would also help to promote economic activities in the maritime sector.
“The function of the Nigerian Navy in the maritime sector can never be neglected because the Navy is the chief architect of security in the waterways.
“This collaboration will help us to know our lines of duty and what is expected of us at all times as key players in the maritime sector,” he said.
An official from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Ikpi Eni, said the agency had always enjoyed the warm collaboration of navy.
Eni said the agency had worked together with the navy in the area of arrest of suspected traffickers and rescue of victims.
“As we all know, NAPTIP does not carry arms and we are dealing with human traffickers that are well armed.
“So our collaboration with the Navy has helped us a lot because they have handed over several suspects and victims to us.
“Most of the traffickers convey their victims through the sea, so our collaboration with the Navy has impacted greatly on us in the area of arrest and rescue of victims,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Obi Ogboaka, a legal practitioner and a representative from the Nigerian Bar Association, Calabar, said if the synergy was done constantly, there would not be friction among the security agencies and stakeholders in the maritime sector.
“If this collaboration is sustained; it will go a long way because even in the court we won’t have difficulties with conflicting reports from maritime stakeholders.
“The initiative by Navy to bring all these agencies together, including the Immigration, Customs, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIWA, NAPTIP and others is laudable,” he said.
Commandant of the Naval War College, Nigeria, Rear Adm. Saheed Akinwande, said that the aim of the sea trip was to expose the participants to sea experience in the maritime sector.
Akinwande said that no single agency could tackle security alone, hence the need for the Navy to work with other maritime stakeholders with a view to tackling the myriads of security challenges in the maritime sector.
“We believe that when maritime stakeholders and the Navy synergise, there is an equal understanding, information sharing and vision to keep our maritime space safe for socio economic activities to thrive,” he said.
The Tide’s source reports that after the sea trip, the Naval War College Course 7 participants gave a brief of their experience at sea, especially in the area of arrest of illegal petroleum product, and arrest of suspected child traffickers amongst others.
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The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.
He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.
The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.
He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.
According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.
“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.
“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.
He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.
According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.
Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.
He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.
The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.
“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.
“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said
In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.
He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.
The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.
He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.
According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.
The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.
The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.
She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.
“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.
She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.
The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.
The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.
AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.
“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.
“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.
According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.
Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.
“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.
He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.
“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.
Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.
CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.
The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.
Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.
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