As part of efforts to combat insecurity in Rivers and the Niger Delta, Siminalayi Fubara, River State Governor, officially opened the Naval Training Command Headquarters on Friday, 26 April 2024. The Governor announced that the Naval Command Headquarters had moved from Lagos to Rivers during the facility’s opening in the Ebubu settlement of Eleme LGA.

He stated that to synchronize all navy training institutes throughout the nation, the State Government had donated the facility to the Nigerian Navy. “The facility will be utilized to develop a highly proficient, driven, and skilled naval force that is capable of promoting the safety and prosperity of the country’s maritime interests.”

“President Bola Tinubu’s initiative to strengthen the navy’s combat capabilities to deal with security threats is demonstrated by the new training command headquarters,” he stated.

Fubara said that the State and Federal economies were badly harmed by the risks that Rivers was facing from oil thieves, kidnappers, pipeline vandals, and sea pirates. To protect the State from criminal elements, his government will keep assisting the armed forces and other security services. To assist with the operationalization of the training command, the Governor declared that N350 million would be donated to the navy.

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla expressed optimism in his remarks that moving the headquarters to the state will improve the navy’s operational capabilities. He said It is part of the Navy’s 2030 strategic plan, to increase the number of training sites across the country. “Naval troops will have access to an environment that will help them learn more about carrying out the navy’s mission at the new complex. It will help to provide an environment that is conducive to learning so that the Navy can fulfill its legal obligation to improve marine security nationwide.”

“The navy will keep up its operations to protect our maritime domain following the President’s directive to maximize the vast economic potential in the country’s waterways for economic prosperity,” he declared.

Ogalla expressed gratitude to Fubara for providing the space and logistical assistance needed to set up the Naval Training Command Headquarters. (NAN)

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