- it was on full alert to protect Nigeria’s unity in the face of any form of threat generated by the ethnic tension due to the activities of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas who make the declaration in Abuja said the Nigerian Navy has been fully mobilized to maintain the country’s internal security from the maritime domain.
Vice Admiral Ibas spoke during the Nigerian Navy 3rd Quarter Route March, at the Mogadishu Cantonment, in Abuja, stating that there was no cause for alarm over any tension as the service was carrying out its constitutional duties to protect the nation from the seas.
The Naval Boss asserted that Naval Special Operations in the Southern part of the country was combat ready to protect Nigeria from the maritime area, emphasising that all would be done for “our economy to boom and for development to come to the country.”
Represented at the event by the Chief of Naval Transformation, Rear Admiral Ibe Enenwo, the Naval Chief noted that the route march was part of the service efforts at keeping personnel physically and mentally fit to carry out their constitutional duties.
“Even without tasking, we are fully deployed in internal security situations as required by the constitution and for our own peculiar environment, the maritime environment, ” he said.
He however maintained that the route march was not a parade to respond to the IPOB agitations or threats, insisting that it was meant to keep personnel fit in their line of engagement.
He also denied that the exercise was carried out in line with the Defence Headquarters’ directive to military services to tackle IPOB’s threats.
He said : “This exercise is holding simultaneously in all naval locations all over the country, and it was required now that we as military personnel keep fit because for you to execute the demanding task as I have pointed out; things like security challenges are more now than we have before.
“We need to have our minds together so that we will be able to react to the situation as they emerge.
“It is a compulsory exercise unless of course, you are excused as a result of due process, maybe medically challenge or you are out of station.
“And it may interest you to note that at the end of the exercise, we are going to take what I may call roll-call, parade- state to confirm, that all those who were supposed to be here are here and if they are not here, they will pay for it.
“First of all, they will be required to do their own and add some extra to it as a penalty. That is the minimum punishment for them, “the Naval Chief stated.
Source:The Nation
