Buhari Applauds Nigeria Navy Efforts Toward Improvement Of Maritime Security
of the 3rd locally built Seaward Defence Boat NNS OJI to His Excellency, President Muhammadu
Buhari GCFR at the commissioning ceremony of Nigerian Navy ships, boats and a helicopter
LAGOS JANUARY 28TH (NEWSRANGERS)-The Nigerian Navy set a new historic milestone in December 2021 when the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR commissioned an array of vessels and helicopter to add to the country’s already existing formidable naval assets.
President Buhari who applauded the efforts of the Nigerian Navy towards improving maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) during the commissioning of the newly acquired platforms, boats and helicopter into the Nigerian Navy said the effort of Nigeria Navy has safeguarded Nigeria’s maritime environment including its hydrocarbon resources and accompanying oil and gas infrastructure.
He added that, considering the nation’s current huge dependence on oil and gas revenues, the Nigerian Navy was undeniably a major contributor to the economic mainstay of Nigeria.
The President therefore commended the Nigerian Navy’s efforts in the fight against criminality within and beyond the Nigeria’s maritime domain and further expressed his confidence that the newly commissioned platforms will greatly enhance the efforts of the Service in further securing Nigeria’s maritime environment.
President Buhari added that he was especially delighted by the commissioning of the Seaward Defence Boat (SDB) III, Nigerian Navy Ship OJI which is the third in the series of SDBs to be built locally and entirely by the Nigerian Navy engineers. Mr President also performed the keel laying ceremony for SDB IV and SDB V.
He lauded the Nigerian Navy for maintaining its drive for local content development – which is in tandem with the policy of his administration. The President reiterated his commitment to adequately equip the Nigerian Navy with the right mix of platforms which led to the Service taking delivery of the Nigerian Navy’s first ever purpose built Offshore Survey Vessel, NNS LANA constructed by OCEA France, in May 2021 while also acknowledging the business dependability of Messrs OCEA Shipyard-France for the timely completion of the contract.
The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral AwwalGambo who was the host for the commissioning/induction ceremony, stated that NNS LANA would be involved in the hydrographic survey of Nigeria’s territorial waters towards ensuring safety of navigation within the country’s waterways. “Similarly, the SDB III, the Inshore Patrol Crafts and Fast Patrol Boats would be deployed for surveillance and patrol duties within Nigeria’s water. Admiral Gambo stressed that, this undertaking was aimed at enhancing the performance of Nigerian Navy’s constitutional role regarding hydrographic survey and policing of Nigeria’s water,” Gambo Stated.
Furthermore, Admiral Gambo explained that the induction of the new platforms, would lead to further decline in criminal activities in the Nigeria’s maritime domain.
He reiterated that the Nigerian Navy will continue to factor in the realities of national imperatives and apply optimal policies and strategies in addressing the security challenges in the nation’s maritime domain-including the GoG.
Admiral Gambo who was appointed by President Buhari in January 2021, added that the commissioning of NNS OJI and other locally built vessels was a manifestation of the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining a well-equipped Navy that Nigerians would be proud of.
He thanked President Buhari for his tremendous support to the Service including those that have contributed one way or the other to make the dream a reality and urged maritime and security stakeholders to sustain a robust cooperation towards safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain.
Recall that the Nigerian Navy recently inducted and commissioned a Hydrographic Survey Ship NNS LANA, Inshore Patrol Crafts (IPC) NNS ABA, NNS KANO, NNS IKENNE and NNS SOKOTO.
Others are Fast Patrol Boats (FPB) NNS OSUN and Seaward Defence Boat III (SDB) NNS OJI. Additionally, NN312 helicopter was commissioned. In addition: 38 Sun craft Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs), 32 Paramount RHIBs, 22 Poly RHIBS, 11 SEWA Boats, 8 Epenal Boats, 4 Suncraft Manta Boats, 4 Falcon Boats and 2 Aresa Boats were also inducted into the inventory of the Nigerian Navy during the event.
The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Mr DapoAbiodun, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, represented by his Deputy -Honourable Lucky Aiyedatiwa; the Senate President, represented by the Chairman Senate Committee on Navy, Senator George Sekibo; the Honourable Speaker of House of Representatives, represented by the Chairman House Committee on Defence – Honourable Babajimi Benson; Chairman House Committee on Navy,Honourable Yusuf Gagdi, Honourable Minister of Defence, Major General SalihiMagashi (rtd), His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, AlhajiAminu Ado Bayero and His Royal Majesty, Oba of Lagos, represented by Oniru of Iruland, Oba AbdulwasiuOmogbolahanLawal;
Also in attendance were: the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, National President Naval Officers’ Wives Association and many serving/retired military/paramilitary senior officers as well as captain of industries. The Nigerian Navy equipped with various operational sea and air assets including surveillance capabilities and well trained and motivated personnel is certainly one of Africa’s largest and powerful naval forces in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).
Proudly MAJAN
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Posted by News Rangers
on Jan 28 2022. Filed under National.
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