.Flag Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Nigerian Navy, Oghara; Rear Adm. Sileranda Lassa cutting the tape to inaugurate newly-built staff quarters at Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder’s base in Port Harcourt last week
The Nigerian Navy said it deployed 12 combat ships, including two attack helicopters to the international waters for a sea maneuver that is geared towards enhancing the security of Nigeria’s maritime domain and sustainability of safety of shipping and other economic activities at sea.
According to the Navy, the exercise code named OPERATION STILL WATER, will focus on anti-piracy, anti-crude oil theft and anti-smuggling operations, while also giving the required boost to ongoing Nigerian Navy operations especially Operation Calm Waters 2 and operation Fleet response among others.
The ships that were deployed include: NNS OKPBANA, NNS PROSPERITY, NNS NGURU, NNS EKULU, NNS KARADUWA, NNS ANDONI, NNS DORINA, NNS OSUN, NNS BOMADI, NNS OSE, TUG DOLPHIN RIMA, TUG DOLPHIN MIRA.
Vice Adm. Ibok-Ette Ibas, the CNS, who was represented by Rear Adm. Kamalrudeen Lawal, Chief of Naval Safety and Standard, flagged off the ceremony onboard NNS OKPBANA at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island.
The CNS said that the exercise was to enhance the security of the nation’s maritime domain and sustain the desired level of competency of the Nigerian Navy (NN).
“It is aimed at assessing the operational state and readiness of the NN fleets with focus on anti-piracy, anti-crude oil theft and anti-smuggling operations among others,” he said.
The fleet will conduct Anti-piracy operation, Protection of oil and gas facilities, Fleet manoeuvres, Communication, Vessel, Board Search and Seizure, Search and Rescue among others.
Ibas said that there had been remarkable progress in the fight against all forms of criminalities, saying that the sustenance of the gains were critical to national security due to the dynamic threats.
“This exercise is conceived to enhance the proficiency of NN personnel in the discharge of their constitutional roles.
“This is in line with the CNS mission to develop a naval force that is well trained, organised and highly motivated to discharge its constitutional roles professionally and efficiently for the defence of Nigeria in ensuring her economic prosperity,” he said.
The CNS, however, thanked the President for providing the necessary support and reassured members of the public that the NN remained committed in providing a conducive maritime environment.
Rear Adm. Oladele Daji, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command in his welcome address, said that the Command was delighted to be selected to host this year’s edition.
He said: “This year’s sea exercise can also provide the opportunity to assess the translation of Nigeria Navy training objectives into delivering of operational capabilities in furtherance of the Chief of Naval Staff mission statement and strategy directives, it is my firm belief that this will give additional impetus to our overall night time combat experiences in order to ensure that the Nigerian Navy remains relevant not only in the designs of the territorial integrity of Nigeria but also to other contributions to the nation’s economic prosperity.”
He said that in the course of the operations, criminal hide outs were raided and suspected criminals arrested ashore and at sea were handed over to appropriate law enforcement agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
He explained that sea inspection involves procurement of assets from all the three operations command, Naval training command as well as adequate support from the logistics command and autonomous.
He said he was optimistic that the exercise would give additional impetus to the NN maritime combat experiences to ensure its relevance in the defence of the country.
Daji said that the WNC was grateful to the CNS for his leadership, logistics and support given in the execution of the exercise.
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