Nigeria Content Online

The shallow water
channel of the Calabar seaport is preventing bigger vessels from
sailing into the port, and also hindering the Navy from effectively
policing pirates in the high seas, the Eastern Command of the Nigerian
Navy has said. Benjamin Acholonu, a Rear Admiral and flag officer
commanding the Eastern Naval Command, called on the federal government
to award contract for the dredging of the Calabar River as that will
enable large ships with heavy cargo get to the port. During the regime
of the late Sani Abacha, the Calabar port was dredged by a foreign
company to encourage heavy vessels to sail through and facilitate
economic and commercial activities at the Calabar Export Free Trade
Zone, constructed by the federal government in 1991. But the job was
poorly done forcing large ships to continue avoiding the port.

Low water level

“Some of the
problems or challenges we encounter in the Calabar area are criminal
activities of pirates and the low water level of the channel. The
Calabar channel is not safe for navigation. Calabar port has a sandy
shore, mud and wreck along its channel. This wreck is visible during
low water season,” Mr. Acholonu said.

“But during high
water level, water covers the wreck. This is dangerous for ships coming
in. Naval ships like to manoeuvre freely, but if you have restricted
water, it is difficult for them to operate”, he said.

According to Mr Acholonu, the Navy is having difficulties patrolling the area to check the activities of pirates.

He however
explained that the strategies put in place by his command has helped to
keep pirates at bay, noting that though Calabar is off the Atlantic
Ocean, his men have it as a patrol beat to check oil bunkering and
smuggling.

Only recently, the
Eastern Naval Command arrested and paraded two men who specialise in
perforating oil pipes linking the Calabar jetty with the Nigeria
National Petroleum Corporation Tank Farm at Esuk Utan, in Calabar
Municipal Council to siphon petroleum products.

“More is expected from the federal government for the provision of
platforms. These platforms help the navy to operate. With them, we
perform to expectations and compete favourably with our counterparts
from other countries,” he added.