The new Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Atiku Abdulkadir, on Sunday sent a clear warning to sea pirates and illegal operators of the Eastern Naval Command to desist from perpetrating crime along the waterways.

Reacting to an arrest of a vessel operating illegally along the Eastern waterways, he maintained that anyone caught would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Speaking to journalists along the waterways in Cross River State, the Naval boss said, the vessel which had 14 Nigerians and a Ghanaian on board was operating without a valid permit from the Navy and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

He noted that violating the regulations of the Navy and that of fishing authorities could endanger the lives of other marine operators

He also raised concerns on the security implications, maintaining that the vessel can be taken over by pirates for criminal activities and thereby scaring others.

Captain of the vessel, Martin Beleta, admitted to operating the vessel without permit.