A new Nigerian Navy base in Taraba State will significantly strengthen security along vulnerable waterways that stretch to the Cameroon border, Governor Agbu Kefas announced Monday, describing the initiative as a critical intervention to combat rising criminal activity in the region. Speaking during a courtesy visit by senior naval officials at the TY Danjuma House in Jalingo, the governor emphasized that elishing a permanent military presence would transform surveillance capabilities and deterrence measures across the state’s extensive river systems.
Governor Kefas received a high level delegation from Naval Headquarters led by the Chief of Administration, Rear Admiral Jonathan Joseph Nwunuji Mamman, who confirmed that assessment surveys of the proposed site have already been completed. The governor praised the Chief of the Naval Staff for prioritizing national security and commended the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to expanding operational capacity beyond coastal regions into inland territories. According to Kefas, the Kashimbila Waterway represents a particularly strategic location, forming part of the international boundary between Taraba State and Cameroon while numerous smaller inland waterways remain exposed to exploitation by criminal elements.
Beyond immediate security benefits, the governor outlined broader socioeconomic advantages the naval base would deliver to local communities. Kefas revealed plans to train local residents to support security operations in partnership with the Marine Police, creating employment opportunities while building indigenous capacity for waterway protection. He stressed that effective collaboration among multiple security agencies remains essential to addressing the complex security challenges facing the state, suggesting the naval base would serve as a coordination hub for joint operations.
Rear Admiral Mamman provided strategic context for the naval expansion, explaining that the delegation’s visit centered on conducting comprehensive surveys of the Kashimbila Waterway ahead of base construction. He identified the Kashimbila River as holding exceptional strategic importance due to multiple factors: it hosts the Kashimbila Hydroelectric Power Project, serves communities surrounding the regional airport, and runs along the Nigeria to Cameroon international boundary. These characteristics make the waterway both a vital economic asset and a potential vulnerability if left inadequately monitored.
Security experts have long warned that unsecured waterways present serious risks for transnational crime, including smuggling, illegal migration, and potential terrorist infiltration. Rear Admiral Mamman echoed these concerns, noting that the proposed naval base would not only enhance general security but specifically protect critical national infrastructure in the area. Hydroelectric facilities, in particular, represent tempting targets for sabotage or criminal interference that could disrupt power supply across multiple states.
Elishing military installations in previously underserved regions reflects a broader strategic shift within Nigeria’s armed forces toward proactive presence rather than reactive deployment. As Taraba State awaits formal approval and construction timelines for the naval base, local officials and residents are anticipating tangible improvements in security conditions along waterways that have historically operated beyond effective government control. Whether the base can successfully reduce criminal activity while fostering community cooperation with security forces will largely determine its long term impact on regional ility and economic development in this strategically sensitive border area.
Leave a comment