Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu has appealed to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice

Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla to help establish the presence of the Navy in the

Coast of Calabar to attract coastal investments into the state and safeguard national oil

assets and platforms within the state.

He also called for an enhanced naval presence with an operational base along the

maritime border between Nigeria and Cameroon at the Bakassi maritime area.

At a meeting he had with the naval boss, the Governor said, Cameroonian authorities

have maintained security control while the Nigerian side remains under-protected,

worrying that this was very dangerous for Nigeria’s maritime security.

Otu said, naval presence will ensure regional stability in the Bakassi coastal area and

foster collaboration with Cameroon to address mutual security challenges crucial for

realizing the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport.

Expressing happiness for the good relationship existing between the state government

and the naval authorities, he thanked them for their establishments in the state,

including Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, the Eastern Naval Command, the Naval War

College Nigeria, and Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, among other key facilities and

infrastructure in Calabar.