Marina to establish the special operational command in Benue

The Nigerian Navy has announced the intention to establish a special operational command in Makurdi, the capital of Benue’s state, in a strategic move aimed at improving safety in the central-northern region of the country.

This was disclosed on Monday by the head of the naval staff, the deputy admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, during a briefing printed at the naval office in Abuja.

The briefing was part of the activities that marked the 69th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy, which should take place in Lagos.

Deputy Admiral Ogalla was represented by the head of politics and plans (Marina), the back admiral Ibrahim Dewu.

The new command will be located on the North Riva of the Benue River and will include special boat service operations, deep blue sea agents and Marines of the Nigerian Navy.

It is expected to operate in coordination with the Nigerian army, the aeronautics and other security agencies to combat safety challenges in the region.

According to the Navy, the unit will be able to operate on the ground, sea and air, significantly improving the country’s military response capabilities.

“In line with the total maritime maritime strategy of the Nigerian navy spectrum, which extends from ponds to terrestrial operations, the establishment of the command of special operations in Makurdi will strengthen the relative safety efforts in the central belt,” said Ogalla.

In addition to the new command, the Navy has also presented recent additions to its fleet as part of its continuous efforts of modernization. These include three newly acquired patrol ships – Nns Shere, Nns Faro and Nns Ikogosi – as well as three Trekker Westland 109 trekker helicopters.

The ships, coming from Singapore and South Korea, measure 38 meters each and have an operational resistance of five days. They will serve as defense boats towards the sea, able to operate inside the coastal waters of Nigeria and extend to the contiguous area of ​​24 nautical miles.

With the new helicopters, the Navy aerial fleet is now 14, significantly increasing its maritime patrol skills and rapid response.

The head of the naval staff also announced its intention to make a maritime task force operating in the Gulf of Guinea operational.

This regional initiative, which involves personal, materials and activities of the Gulf nations, aims to strengthen maritime safety through collaboration.

Ogalla stressed that Nigeria continues to maintain an evaluation of piracy zero, as recorded by the International Maritime Bureau, thanks to surveillance systems such as Falcon Eye and the regional maritime raising awareness capacity.

These developments underline the commitment of the Nigerian Navy in the expansion of its operational scope and in the improvement of national and regional security.

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