By Ehis Anetor
The Nigerian Navy, Eastern Naval Command has on Sunday flagged off its CNS (Chief of Naval Staff) annual sea inspection, thereby commissioning 10 gunships and two helicopters to tackle and put illegal oil bunkering and piracy in the Niger Delta to a standstill.
The Command also commissioned four tactical operational bases which would provide support to its personnel offshore.
Speaking during the flag off ceremony code named ‘Exercise Quiet Waters’ on board the NNS Okpabana at the Onne coastline, near Port Harcourt, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral, Awwal Gambo, disclosed that this year’s edition of the exercise would last for three days.
He said, “It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to the Flag-Off ceremony
of the CNS Annual Sea Inspection for the Year 2021, codenamed ‘EXERCISE
Quiet Waters, we are having 10 capital ships, two helicopters for the exercise, we also have the special boat service for the special forces of the Nigerian Navy.
“For the first time, we are going to have operational bases and four operating bases to be conducted back water exercises to be operating simultaneously with the operation we have at sea for the next three days which had already been flagged off by me.”
Gambo who stated that the essence of the operation was to revalidate the capabilities of the Nigerian Navy, added that the exercise was in tandem with the mandate of President Mohammadu Buhari in creating a conducive environment for maritime business to flourish in the country.
“The CNS Annual Sea Inspection is aimed at assessing the operational readiness of the NN fleet ranging from operational capabilities, logistics support and personnel training among other assessment criteria.
“On assumption of command, one of my cardinal priorities was to improve the
operational efficiency of the NN’s fleet in terms of sea readiness and availability
for operational deployments in order to speedily boost our capacity to meet our
constitutional maritime obligations. This aligns with the Presidential mandate,
for a conducive environment for maritime business to flourish.”
The CNS further stressed that the exercise would also revitalize the vigor of the Naval personnel in their fight against crimes on the Nigerian waterways.
“Accordingly, this year’s inspection provides a platform for operational review that seeks to more firmly orient Nigeria Navy training objectives with the delivery of operational capabilities in line with my Vision, Mission Statement and Strategic Directives.
“It is also pertinent to state that the Inspection comes against the
backdrop of the remarkable strides attained in the significant reduction in cases of piracy and sea robbery in our maritime environment and the need to sustain the strategic momentum in our fight against maritime crimes. However, given the dynamic nature of maritime threats, the exercise is also intended to revise our operational deployments to reinvigorate the strategic deterrence posture and influence of the fleet in the defence of the nation’s maritime environment.”
On his part, the flag officer commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sanusi Ibrahim, said the operation was also an avenue for operatives of the Navy to align themselves the operational requirements of the Navy, as well as the mission, vision and direction of the Chief of Naval Staff.
“The Chief of Naval Staff sea inspection is an annual programme in the Nigeria Navy which provides the opportunity for the Chief of Naval Staff to access operational readiness and responsiveness of Nigerian Navy fleet to determine threats that challenge our maritime environment and also to evaluate all other associated capabilities such as logistics support, personnel training and information management among others.
“The operation also provides an opportunity for the Nigerian Navy Maritime Operation to remain consistent with the Chief of Naval Staff vision, mission statement and strategic directives, also the CNS annual sea inspection will enable the recalibration of the Nigerian Navy present operatives to align with its operational requirements.”