The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom has inaugurated a borehole with a 6,000 capacity in the host community.

Inaugurating the water project on Friday at Naval road in Ibaka , Capt. Uche Aneke, the Commanding Officer of the base, said the water project was part of FOB Ibaka non-kinetic exercise.

He said that the rehabilitation was done to meet the dire need for clean water within the  host Community as part of Operation Delta Sanity III Civil Military Cooperation Exercise (CIMIC).

Aneke said that the inauguration of the project was expedient following the importance the Nigerian Navy places on health and domestic sanitation.

He used the opportunity to enlighten and admonish the people of the community, on the importance and use of clean water in their daily activities.

The commanding officer also emphasised that under the current leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, such community service would be constant and sustained.

Aneke urged members of the host community to maintain the unwavering good civil–military relationship and cooperation with the Base.

He warned the criminal elements in the area of the constant surveillance of areas under the FOB Ibaka Area of Operations, and the Eastern Naval Command Area of Responsibility would be sustained.

“The Base will not rest on its oars and will sustain arrest of criminal elements, with a view to actualising the mandate of Operation Delta Sanity III,“he said.

He stated that Nigerian waters and the Nigerian coastal areas are not for illegal activities.

Earlier, Mr Sunday Etim, the Transition Committee Chairman of Mbo local government area, thanked the Nigerian Navy for providing access to clean water to its host community.

Etim, represented by Mr Ukoh Udombo, the Supervisor for Information and Communication, urged the community to protect and maintain the project for the benefit of the people.

The Forum of National Youth Leaders of all Political Parties in Nigeria (FNYLPPN) has commended President Bola Tinubu over the proposed National Youth Conference.

The Chairman of FNYLPPN, Mr Eze Chukwu, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Abuja.

According to Chukwu, this is the first time in the history of Nigeria to have a National conference by the Federal Government geared towards the affairs of Nigerian youths.

“To this end, we welcome this development with joy and enthusiasm that this government doesn’t just want to hear the youths but are ready to know and respond to their needs.

“We commend the president and genuinely urge his Excellency to continue in this path.

“The majority of the problems of Nigeria will be solved if the needs of the Nigerian youths who make up to 70 per cent of our country’s population are met.

“We are optimistic that with this strategic move by the Federal Government of Nigeria to host the first ever national youth confab the ever-needed opportunity to be heard by our own government will come through,’’ he said.

He said as forum, the youths were open to partnering the Federal Government to achieve the aims behind the conference.

“We, however, warn that the modus of nomination of participants should not be left for politicians.

“Slots but should be open enough for Nigerian youths to know that they’re truly being represented by their own leaders,” Chukwu said.

He also said any plan to play politics with the selection of participants would negate the essence and suggested that it should be all inclusive and open to all regions and religions of the country.

Chukwu said an inclusive approach to the conference would give Nigerian youths a true representation at the conference.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has emphasized that a multi-dimensional strategy, beyond military intervention, is essential to addressing the insecurity plaguing the Sahel region.

Speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Inaugural Annual International Lecture in Abuja, Musa highlighted the growing instability in the Sahel, describing it as a significant threat to Nigeria due to the nation’s strategic role in the region.

“Insecurity did not emerge in a vacuum,” he stated, attributing its rise to a combination of local and global factors such as poor governance, economic marginalization, climate change, and ethnic tensions. He also pointed to the collapse of the Libyan state in 2011, which led to an influx of weapons and fighters, further fueling the rise of insurgent groups.

Musa noted that the insurgency in Nigeria’s North East, led by Boko Haram since 2009, has stretched military resources, displaced millions, and hindered economic development. He warned that the porous borders between Nigeria and Sahelian countries enable transnational criminal activities, including arms smuggling and human trafficking.

“Nigeria, as a critical player in the region, has borne a significant share of the fallout from this instability,” he said.

The CDS urged all stakeholders—government, civil society, international partners, and the private sector—to collaborate in addressing these challenges. “Let us always remember that Nigeria’s security and that of the entire Sahel region depend on our ability to find lasting solutions that promote peace, stability, and prosperity for all,” Musa concluded.

The lecture, themed “Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024): Dissecting Nigeria’s Challenges – Genesis, Impacts, and Options,” was organized by NAN as part of efforts to address the region’s security concerns.