Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has approved the provision of land in Brass for a Nigerian Navy jetty to accommodate five warships, in a move aimed at strengthening maritime security and protecting offshore oil and gas assets. Diri gave the directive during a meeting with the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, and other senior military officers at Government House, Yenagoa.
Ibrahim disclosed that the command had 11 warships, currently stationed in Delta and Rivers states because Bayelsa lacked a port capable of accommodating them. He said relocating five vessels to Brass would strengthen the Navy’s presence in the state and improve response times to maritime security threats.
The governor described Bayelsa as strategically important to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and credited the Nigerian Navy’s operations and inter-agency cooperation with helping to curb sea piracy and sustain security in the state. Diri also directed the state Ministry of Lands and Survey to provide land at Elebele for the construction of a Nigerian Navy referral hospital, which is expected to support naval personnel and improve access to specialist medical services.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working with the Navy and other security agencies to protect critical national assets and maintain stability across the Niger Delta. Ibrahim commended the state government’s support, while the Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olugbenga Oladipo, attributed improved oil production in the region to enhanced security and cooperation among the military, government, oil operators and host communities.
Oladipo also urged oil companies and host communities to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than actions that disrupt production, highlighting the link between maritime security, uninterrupted petroleum operations and Nigeria’s economic interests.