By ZAKAA LAZARUS
As part of the activities to mark it’s 70th anniversary, The Nigerian Navy has hosted over 1500 Lagos residents, on a voyage to the high sea.
The service opened three of its warships- NNS KADA, DB Lagos and DB Abuja- to about 1,500 civilians for a special sea tour aimed at strengthening civil-military relations CIMIC) and deepening public understanding of naval operations.
The participants, drawn from different walks of life, boarded the vessels at the NNS BEECROFT Jetty in Lagos and sailed through parts of the Lagos channel, enjoying panoramic views of ports, beaches and major city landmarks despite unfavourable weather conditions.
Simultaneously, Nigerians in major cities across the country where the naval has operational commands were also sea-lifted to get a glimpse of what the service does and how it protects the maritime environment.
Despite the heavy rains that disrupted the initial 8am cast-off time for the sea trip, hundreds of Nigerians who defied the downpour stayed excited, documenting the experience with their mobile phones until the ship set sail at about 1:30pm.
Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC) , Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, who addressed the gathering onboard NNS KADA, said the exercise was designed to showcase the service’s capabilities as well as foster camaraderie between civilians and military personnel.
“This event provides an opportunity for us to interact with civilians, build camaraderie and showcase the Nigerian Navy. Over the years, the Navy has evolved into a capable force safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime space and protecting critical infrastructure in collaboration with other security agencies,” Mustapha said.
He noted that although the Navy could not accommodate everyone who applied for the trip, Lagos alone recorded about 1,500 participants, describing the turnout as encouraging despite persistent rainfall.
According to him, the Navy has, over the last seven decades, transformed into a leading maritime forces through sustained investment in platforms, manpower and strategic partnerships with foreign navies, including those of the United States, United Kingdom, China and several European countries.
Mustapha said the Navy’s participation in multinational exercises such as Obangame Express and Grand African NEMO had strengthened operational efficiency, interoperability and maritime security coordination within the Gulf of Guinea.
He also disclosed that the Navy recently established the Nigerian Navy Marines to support counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations alongside the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force.
“The reviews and responses from our international engagements have placed the Nigerian Navy among the most professional naval forces in Africa,” he said.
A maritime security professional, Bill Kisullawaau, who participated in the trip, described the experience as enlightening and commended the Navy’s emphasis on safety throughout the voyage.
“For the first time, I experienced going out to sea in this manner, and I appreciated the safety consciousness. At every stage, there were announcements guiding passengers on what to do and where not to go. Overall, it was a very good experience. I look forward to participating again,” he said.
Many participants said the exercise helped bridge the gap between civilians and the military while offering a better appreciation of the Navy’s role in protecting Nigeria’s waters, maritime assets and critical national infrastructure.
The statement said a handful of the first-time sailors developed sea sickness and were taken to the sickbay for attention, majority of participants interacted, asked questions, danced and watched as elements of the Special Boats Services (SBS) in gunboats performed drills while providing armed escort for the warships.
