Fifteen Nigerian Navy warships, three helicopters, gunboats, and detachments of the Special Boat Service (naval Special Forces) have been deployed in this year’s Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Annual Sea Inspection.

The warships include Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Kada, NNS Dorina, NNS Ibeno, NNS Ikenne, NNS Kano, NNS Burutu, NNS Sokoto, NNS Zur, NNS Chanawa, DB Abuja, NNS Andoni, NNS Orji, NNS Bomadi, and NNS Ekulu. The CNS, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, launched the special military exercise, codenamed Exercise Dein Abaji, aboard NNS Kada at the Onne Dockyard in Rivers yesterday.

He stated that the exercise, scheduled from December 8 to 11, was an annual sea expedition enabling the navy chief to assess the nation’s waters, fleets, and troop readiness.

“It aims to evaluate the operational condition and preparedness of the Nigerian Navy fleet to address maritime threats, in accordance with our statutory responsibilities.

“The exercise showcases the navy’s capacity to safeguard the maritime environment for national economic prosperity and demonstrate our readiness to support existing domestic and regional maritime security initiatives.”

Ogalla emphasised that Exercise Dein Abaji 2024, which translates to ‘Calm Waters’ in the Kalabari dialect, would bolster Nigeria’s Blue Economy development. “It is imperative for the navy to enhance its capacity to secure the maritime environment, extending to the Gulf of Guinea.

“To this end, we are deploying 15 ships, three helicopters, and the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service to strengthen our combat readiness and interagency cooperation.

“During this exercise, we will harness the collaboration of maritime stakeholders through information sharing to enhance our collective ability to achieve national security objectives,” Ogalla said.

The navy chief noted that naval operations had significantly improved legitimate shipping activities, attributing the rise in economic activities to reduced criminality in the nation’s waters.

He remarked that crude oil production had also experienced a significant increase, with several companies reporting 100 per cent terminal factor.

Rear Adm. Saheed Akinwande, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command, stated that the exercise would also provide Ogalla with the opportunity to evaluate the operational responsiveness of the naval fleet.

He explained that the CNS would assess all other critical capabilities, including logistical support, and personnel training, among others.