By Linus Aleke
The imperative of maritime security to the overall economic growth and national development, cannot be quantified, especially, in Nigeria, where the oxygen that gives life, and powers other sectors of the economy – the hydrocarbon or black gold as it is called in certain quarters is concealed in the womb of the Maritime environment.
Hydrocarbon is not the only mineral resources deposited in the womb of the sea by the creator for betterment of Nigeria, but that is the major one the Nigerian state is giving priority attention at the moment.
This is so because petroleum resource, is currently the major source of the nation’s foreign exchange earning, hence the grave need to give not just the best to the security of this high-priced resource that holds the key to the survival and development of Nigeria.
But like Honey and Marijuana leaves and flowers, which attract unwanted creatures like ants and snakes, raw petroleum resources in the belly of aquatic-world and its refined products, also attract mindless, dangerous and unpatriotic local and foreign criminals, whose nefarious activities are sabotaging the economy and national security.
It is again on the premise of the above mentioned importance of maritime environment to economic growth, sustainable development and national security that the colonial administration established what is known today as Nigerian Navy, formerly Royal Navy in 1956, as the Maritime component of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, to minimize if not total eradicate crime in the Maritime environment, while defending the territorial integrity of the nation by sea.
It is however, in recognition of the unavoidable role played by this precious resources found in abundance in the Maritime environment that the nation’s Medium Term Expenditure
Framework & Fiscal Strategy Paper
(MTEF), is heavily dependent on revenue accruing from the sales of crude in the international market to anchor its national plan. Developmental projections are often dependent on production of crude and its price at a given period.
Giving credence to this thought process, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, (Admiral Medal), on Monday, 20th May 2024, said that the Nigeria’s Crude Oil Exports rose to 1.28m bpd in April from 1.23m bpd in March.
Admiral Ogalla who celebrated this national economic progress, while addressing a world press conference to usher in the Nigerian Navy at 68th Anniversary Celebration 2024, in Abuja, explained: “OPEC records for the month of April 2024 shows that Nigeria’s Crude Oil Exports rose to 1.28m bpd in April from 1.23m bpd in March. This is in line with the President’s directive to eradicate Crude Oil Theft (COT), in order to ramp up Nigeria’s oil production and exports”.
To achieve the above success of improvement in crude production, despite the rampaging activities of local and foreign criminals, who constantly pillage the nation’s resources at the Maritime environment, Admiral Ogalla, gave insight into the activities of the Service that led to the above mentioned improvement as contained in OPEC data.
Represented at the press conference by Chief of Policy and Plans (Navy), Rear Admiral Joseph Daniel Akpan, the CNS said: “the NN has attained the highest state of operational readiness in the discharge of its constitutional roles. In particular, the fight against Crude Oil Theft has been a huge success under the auspices of OPERATION DELTA SANITY which was re-launched in January 2024. In the 9 months of its existence, the operation has led to the arrest of various suspects and vessels involved in COT. Some of these vessels include MT KALI, MT SWEET HARBOUR SPIRIT, MT SAISNIL, MV TOKITO, MT VINILLARIS and MT SWEET MIRI, among others. This has impacted positively on Nigeria’s crude oil production”.
Admiral Ogalla said that Navy Week, as it is popularly called, often offer the Service, an excellent opportunity to showcase its modest achievements to the Nigerian public and by extension the world.
The CNS said: “As the name implies, the NN Anniversary Celebration, often referred to as ‘Navy Week’, is an annual event held to commemorate the establishment of the NN as an arm of force on 1 June 1956. Today, the Nigerian Navy has grown from its humble beginning with a handful of coastal boats into a force to be reckoned with, not only in the West African Sub-region, but also in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and indeed the entire sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, this Navy Week Celebration, as with others in the past, also serve as a score-card of the NN’s performance in the service of our dear nation. This can only be put in perspective by reviewing the noble achievements of the current CNS, Vice Admiral EI Ogalla, AM”.
The Naval Chief, said that in line with Nigerian Navy total spectrum maritime strategy, the NN has continued to support land operations in all the Geo-political Zones.
He further averred that the Service has also provided all year-round situation awareness of Nigeria’s maritime domain extending to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone through its Maritime Domain Awareness Facilities which enabled early detection and swift response to incidences within the maritime environment.
This, he said has ensured that Nigeria maintained its zero piracy status in the International Maritime Bureau piracy rating.
On fleet renewal, to improve the fighting power of the maritime forces, the CNS said, the NN has taken delivery of various platforms which has supported its Anti-piracy, Ant-COT, Anti-IUU and Anti-illegal drug trafficking among others.
“Notably, the NN has taken delivery of its second offshore survey vessel, 2 x 32m FPBs, and 2 x Helicopters. The NN is also expected to take delivery of 2 x 76m OPVs from Turkey later in the year,” he said.
In the area of infrastructure, Admiral Ogalla said: “the NN has established a composite operations Base in Enugu State to curtail the prevailing insecurities in the South East (SE), and North Central (NC), Regions. Additionally, the Naval Training Command was relocated to Eleme in Rivers State. In its place, the NN has established the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria. The Institute will serve as a strategic maritime think-tank for Nigeria thereby contributing effectively to global maritime discourse to shape the future of sea power and its application. Aware of the need to collaborate with other maritime security agencies such as NIMASA, NPA, NDLEA, NOSDRA, NEMA as well as foreign partners, the NN has staged and participated in several local and international exercises and operations. Some of these include EX CROCODILE LIFT/AFRICAN GRANDE AFRICA NEMO, EX SEA GUARDIAN, EX NCHEKWA OSHIMIRI, OP WATER GUARD, OP SWIFT RESPONSE and EX OBANGAME EXPRESS 2024”.
At this juncture, the CNS sought permission to highlight the key activities lined up for the event, having refreshed minds of the audience on why the NN is proud to celebrate this year’s Navy Week.
He said: “The Special Juma’at Prayers holds on Friday, 24 May 2024 and the Interdenominational Church Service holds on Sunday, 26 May 24 at the Central Mosque and the Queen of Martyr Catholic Church Mogadishu Cantonment respectively. Medical Rhapsodies and Naval Officers’ Wives Association Activities (NOWA) will hold simultaneously on Monday, 27 May 2024 in some NN host communities across Commands. On Wed 29 May 24, there would be an ice-breaker at Eko Hotel and Suites Lagos. The highpoint of this year’s celebration will be the flag-off of the Regional Maritime Exercise and the International Maritime Conference by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu who will be the Special Guest of Honour. The REMEX, which is scheduled to hold from Thursday, 30 May – Saturday, 1 June 2024, is an international maritime sea exercise involving navies from Africa, Europe, Asia, North and South America. The NN will contribute 18 platforms comprising capital ships, boats and helicopters. Some of the foreign naval ships participating include Brazilian Navy Ship APA, Cameroonian Navy Ship DIPIKAR, Peoples Liberation Army Navy Ship XU CHANG, French Navy Ship OSV COMMANDANT BIROT, Ghana Navy Ship CHEMLE, United States Ship HERSHEL WOODY WILLIAMS. The IMC will take place from 30 – 31 May 24 at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island Lagos. The IMC which aims to catalyse effective cooperation on maritime security across Africa as a key driver for unlocking the continent’s immense Blue Economy potential in line with the vision of the 2050 African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) has as its theme Promoting the Blue Economy in Africa through International Cooperation on Maritime Security will feature the presentation of 2 topical papers”.
He said that the Conference will host delegations from about 21 African countries, 17 non-African countries and 13 International/regional organisations.
He added that the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the French Atlantic Fleet, the Deputy Commander of the Chinese Navy and high- powered delegations from the United Kingdom, United States as well as some African and European Union countries will be in attendance.
During the occasion, The CNS said, the President and C-in -C will also commission three newly acquired ships and two helicopters as well as declare open the International Maritime Exhibition in which international and local maritime security related companies will showcase their products and services.
He disclosed that on the side line, the Meeting of Gulf of Guinea Heads of Navies and Coast Guards will take place on 31 May 24.
The series of activities marking the Navy Week Celebration, he said will be rounded off on 1 Jun 2024 with the commissioning of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) and the Ceremonial Sunset/ Reunion Dinner at NNS QUORRA Apapa and Naval Dockyard Limited Victoria Island respectively.
It is on the premise of this that it becomes compelling to infer that while we are not where we desired to be in terms of maritime security, it is safe to conclude that our Navy has reasonably lived up to its constitutional mandate.
