The warships include Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Kada, NNS Dorina, NNS Ibeno, NNS Ikenne, NNS Kano, NNS Burutu, NNS Sokoto, NNS Zur, NNS Chanawa, DB Abuja, NNS Andoni, NNS Orji, NNS Bomadi, and NNS Ekulu.

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

He stated that the exercise, scheduled from Dec. 8 to Dec. 11, was an annual sea expedition enabling the navy chief to assess the nation’s waters, fleets, and troop readiness.

“It aims to evaluate the operational condition and preparedness of the Nigerian Navy fleet to address maritime threats, in accordance with our statutory responsibilities.

“The exercise 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 emphasised that Exercise Dein Abaji 2024, which translates to ‘Calm Waters’ in the Kalabari dialect, would bolster Nigeria’s Blue Economy development.

“It is imperative for the navy to enhance its capacity to secure the maritime environment, extending to the Gulf of Guinea.

“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,” Ogalla said.

The navy chief noted that naval operations had significantly improved legitimate shipping activities, attributing the rise in economic activities to reduced criminality in the nation’s waters.

He remarked that crude oil production had also experienced a significant increase, with several companies reporting 100 per cent terminal factor.

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

Rear Adm. Saheed Akinwande, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command, 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 manoeuvre, 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,” he concluded. (NAN)