On Wednesday night, the Nigerian Navy demolished three wooden boats and more than 6,000 empty jerrycans that were being used to siphon Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as gasoline, from Badagry to nearby nations.Prior to the devastation, Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) Operation, told the reporters that the town of Iyafin, Badagry, was well-known for its smuggling activities.
"We made a huge catch by the second day of the operation," Hassan declared, referring to the seventh day of Operation Water Guard. I said I would take you to the offenders' warehouse.
Our location is in Iyafin, a renowned smuggling community in Badagry.
"You can see that we have thousands of jerrycans directly behind me. Our goal in this place is to put an end to smuggling, and we think that demolishing these jerrycans is one method to do it.
"We are here to stop these people from smuggling, and this is our incursion into the country and the interior to do so.
Since we are aware that it occurs all the way to Ogun State, we intend to go farther and accomplish more by expanding our reach beyond Badagry.
"I have the energy and I'm using government resources to run." We're doing everything we can to stop these crooks in their tracks, and I won't stop working until they give up.
He declared, "We will continue to concentrate more on the Ashipa Community in Seme after this community here."
Speaking to local leaders in Iyafin, Badagry, was Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, the Flag Officer Commanding of the Western Naval Command Operation.
Along with being the Commander of South West Joint Task Force Operation AWATSE, Hassan promised to collaborate with his land forces to lessen petroleum product smuggling.
He issued a warning to individuals engaged in smuggling operations to stop and look for lawful employment.
"I believe they've been getting away with it for a while. Since they can now see how seriously we are taking the deployment of helicopters, cameras, and air sets, we will eventually overcome them if I don't give up.
"I am carrying out this ongoing operation per the directive of Vice-Admiral E.I. Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff," he declared.
Community leaders in Iyafin were forewarned by the Flag Officer to cease stockpiling jerrycans inside their homes.
On their way back from the destruction, the navy troops also confiscated some vehicles carrying jerrycans, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to NAN, the Nigerian Navy launched Operation Water Guard on November 9 in an effort to prevent smugglers and marine criminals from entering Nigeria's borders or waters.
Additionally, according to NAN, the navy officers present at the Forward Operating Base, Badagry, were Navy Capt. Adams-Alienu, the Commanding Officer, and Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, the Commander of the NNS BEECROFT.