New Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, has vowed to introduce policies and measures to sanction Nigerian Navy personnel who collude with economic saboteurs, drug traffickers/barons, bandits and kidnappers to perpetrate their nefarious acts.
Gambo also warned naval personnel to avoid any act capable of tarnishing the image of the Nigeria Navy, saying such acts would be met with heavy sanctions.
Immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibot Ekwe-Ibas, had severally raised the alarm over activities of some personnel whom he alleged were mindlessly subverting the system at every opportunity.
Gambo, who gave the warnings during his maiden meeting with principal staff officers, flag officers commanding and commanders of autonomous units of the Nigerian Navy at Naval Headquarters, Abuja, however promised that any personnel that exhibits high integrity and positive attributes that portray the navy in good light shall be rewarded handsomely.
The 21st indigenous CNS stated that his vision is “to leverage on all factors of national location, technology, training, teamwork and synergy to re-energise the Nigerian Navy and enhance her as a well-motivated and ready naval force in the discharge of her constitutional mandate and other assigned tasks in fulfillment of national security objectives.”
The CNS said to achieve his vision, his administration would focus on some key drivers.
“The current administration would ensure personnel welfare is accorded high priority towards enhanced patriotism, integrity, productivity, innovation, commitment and dedication. It will also focus on human capacity development through result-oriented training for enhanced professionalism and strengthening logistics support and maintenance capabilities to sustain equipment serviceability and platform availability,”
As part of the key drivers, the Nigerian Navy, under the leadership of Rear Admiral Gambo, will reinforce the culture of self-sufficiency through sustained investment in research and development and prudent management of resources, promote inter-service cooperation and forge strategic partnerships with MDAs, credible maritime stakeholders as well as collaboration engagements with international partners.
He directed all ongoing operations in the navy to check piracy, crude oil theft and illegal refining of petroleum products. He particularly rejected the resurging incidents of piracy and sea robbery on Nigerian waters.
“All commanders should sustain aggressive clearance operations to make the sea non-conducive for militants, cult members and pirate camps to operate.”
Rear Admiral Gambo assured the personnel that Nigeria Navy would give the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic the seriousness it deserves.
