The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, would be inspecting Fifteen Nigerian Navy warships, three helicopters, gunboats, and detachments of the Special Boat Service (Naval Special Forces) at this year’s Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Annual Sea Inspection.

The CNS launched the special military exercise, code-named ‘Exercise Dein Abaji’, aboard NNS Kada at the Onne Dockyard in Rivers on Sunday.

The exercise aimed to evaluate the operational condition and preparedness of the Nigerian Navy fleet to address maritime threats, in accordance with our statutory responsibilities.

It also 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 emphasized that Exercise Dein Abaji 2024, which translates to ‘Calm Waters’ in the Kalabari dialect would bolster Nigeria’s Blue Economy development.

“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”.

“These achievements can be credited to our sustained presence at sea, the deployment of surveillance technology, enhanced interagency collaboration, and international partnerships”.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Saheed Akinwande, 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.

“To this end, we will conduct a series of evolutions, including anti-piracy and anti-crude oil operations, fleet maneuver, emergency drills, and amphibious raid exercises, among others.”

“Through this exercise, we aim to assess our operational efficiency, identify areas for improvement, and enhance our collective expertise in various naval operations”.