Nigerian Navy Moves to Upgrade Officers' Skills

By Josephine Asuquo

The Nigerian Navy has taken steps to equip its personnel with requisite skills in war studies and maritime campaign following the establishment of a Naval War College in Ubima, Rivers State.
The College is headed by the former Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command, Apapa - Lagos, and an indigene of Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia, is the highest Naval training institution in Nigeria.
  At the inaugural ceremony for Course 1 - 2017 participants of the college, Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali, noted that manpower development in the military remains cardinal in federal government's renewed vigour to completely wipe out all forms of maritime criminality in the country.
  The minister commended the Nigerian Navy for giving priority to the training of its personnel, maintaining that the federal government will always supports any move to develop manpower in the military.
  " I enjoin you not to miss the significant, which is the fact that we are stepping into another year in the effort to keep the tradition established by our founding fathers." 
  With this sense of mission, the college courses of instruction are envisage to support the objectives of the Nigerian Navy training efforts, which is to enhance the capability of Naval Officers to make sound decisions in both human and management positions," the Minister echoed.
  Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-ette Ibas, acknowledged that the Nigerian maritime is strategic to her national survival and prosperity of her citizens, but “this status of the maritime expands as the economic hub of the Nation has brought about the unintending consequences of attracting criminals...."
  Vice Admiral Ibas admitted that several security challenges on land are fueled by proliferation of small arms and light weapons, must of which are illegally imported and smuggled through the sea.
While reiterating the commitment of the Nigerian Navy to end all forms of marine related crime, the Naval Chief said, " the focus of the Nigerian Navy's operation has not been to combat the known threats as well as redefine contingencies, but to meet the fluet migration of the threats."
  Earlier, Commandant of the Naval War College, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia, disclosed that the college was established to develop the critical competencies of selected officers in the ranks of Commanders and Captains for effective command and managerial roles at the operational level of warfare.
  He said at the end of the course, participants should be able to interpret strategic objectives effectively while understanding the effect of diplomatic information, military and economic dimensions of national power on the planning and execution of naval operations.
  " The Naval War College would groom you through national security and organizational defence as well as inter-agency cooperation and coordination in maritime security. You would also receive intensive training in organization and management, war studies, Naval history as well as operational acts and maritime campaign," the Commandant added.
  Highpoint of the event was the inauguration of 15 pioneer participants of Course 1 - 2017 for a six-month training.