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The Nigerian Navy has said its Quick Impact Projects are designed to strengthen civil-military relations, win the confidence of host communities and improve intelligence gathering to tackle criminal activities, particularly in the maritime environment.
The Director Manning at the Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Kolawole Oguntuga, who spoke on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, said stronger partnerships with communities would enable it to obtain timely and actionable information to identify criminal elements and prevent insecurity. Admiral Oguntuga, who spoke during the commissioning of a Quick Impact Project in Omolaye community in Agbede, Ikorodu, said the initiative was one of the strategic pillars of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, aimed at giving back to society and bringing the military closer to the people.
According to him, effective security operations depend largely on cooperation between security agencies and members of the communities where they operate.
He explained that although the Navy was primarily concerned with crimes in the maritime environment, criminal activities on waterways were often connected to developments on land, making community collaboration essential to addressing insecurity.
“For us to tackle crimes of any form, be it maritime or on land, we need strategic partners in order to get information. One of the major partners is the community,” he said.
He added that sustaining projects that directly benefit communities would encourage residents to support security agencies by providing intelligence that could lead to the identification and apprehension of criminal elements.
The Director Manning at the Naval Headquarters said the Navy would continue to implement the initiative to strengthen its relationship with host communities and obtain information required for effective operations.
Speaking on the project commissioned in the community, he said the intervention would help address security challenges previously affecting the beneficiary school.
He explained that the absence of a perimeter fence had allowed unauthorised persons to gain access to the school premises by crossing a drainage channel, vandalising facilities and stealing school property, including chairs and ceiling fans.
According to him, the new perimeter fence would restrict unauthorised access and make it easier to identify individuals who trespass on the school premises.
“Before now, individuals could just cross the drainage and enter the classrooms to remove whatever they wanted, including chairs and ceiling fans. The following day, the students would come and have nowhere to stay,” he said.
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He noted that the installation of the fence would improve security by clearly defining the school’s boundaries and discouraging potential intruders.
He also disclosed that solar-powered lights had been installed within the premises to illuminate the environment at night and deter criminal activities.
He added that the combination of the perimeter fence and the lighting system would provide additional protection for the school’s facilities and create a safer learning environment for students and teachers.
Beyond physical security, the naval chief explained, the intervention also included the presentation of a computer unit which will help expose students to technological developments and equip them with relevant skills to compete in an increasingly technology-driven world.
According to him, the Navy wants students in beneficiary communities to be technologically informed and prepared to contribute meaningfully to society.
“We want the students to also key into what is happening globally so that we will produce leaders that are well-informed in line with global best practice,” he said.
The official stressed that the Quick Impact Project was not limited to the provision of infrastructure but was also intended to build trust between the Navy and the communities it serves.
He maintained that community confidence and cooperation remained important to security operations, particularly in the maritime domain, where timely information could help security agencies detect and prevent criminal activities.
The Navy’s emphasis on community engagement reflects the importance of combining operational efforts with interventions that address local needs, improve public confidence and encourage residents to cooperate with security agencies.
Through the Quick Impact Project initiative, the Navy aims to strengthen these relationships while supporting the security, education and development of communities within its areas of responsibility.
Rear Admiral Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan was the initiator of the project which was executed at the Omolaiye community primary school in Agbede Town in Ikorodu.
