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By Philip Nwosu
The Nigerian Navy has opened its fleet to no fewer than 1,500 civilians for a special trip to the Atlantic Ocean as part of activities marking the Navy’s 70th anniversary celebration.
The event, tagged “Ship Open to Visitors”, featured the Navy’s strategic sealift vessel NNS Kada and two patrol vessels with the call signs DB Abuja and DB Lagos, which conveyed participants on the commemorative voyage.
The short voyage to the Atlantic Ocean, according to the Nigerian Navy, was designed to deepen public understanding of its strategic role in securing the nation’s waters while highlighting its preparedness and efforts towards ensuring maritime safety.
Speaking during the exercise, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, said the sea trip and open ship programme provided an avenue for interaction between the Nigerian Navy and civilians, while also allowing members of the public to demonstrate solidarity with the service.
According to him, the Nigerian Navy has evolved over the past 70 years into a formidable maritime force capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain and protecting critical national infrastructure in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies.
Rear Admiral Mustapha noted that the Navy’s operational achievements have placed it among the leading naval forces in Africa, stressing that the service has continued to improve its capabilities through training, acquisition of platforms and partnerships with allied navies across the world.
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He added that the Navy’s special forces have distinguished themselves in international engagements and operations, competing favourably with other elite forces globally.
The FOC further disclosed that the Nigerian Navy recently launched its first Marine Corps to strengthen operations in inland and coastal areas, especially in support of counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency efforts in partnership with the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force.
He described the Navy’s 70 years of existence as seven decades of professionalism, dedication and operational excellence.
Some civilians who participated in the open ship programme expressed excitement over the experience, commending the Nigerian Navy for giving members of the public the rare opportunity to board naval platforms and witness maritime operations firsthand.
The exercise, organised by the Western Naval Command, offered civilians rare access to naval platforms and operations, providing firsthand exposure to the service’s efforts in protecting Nigeria’s maritime assets, economic interests and critical national infrastructure.
The participants said the exercise helped deepen public understanding of the Navy’s role in national security and maritime safety.
