OPERATIONAL VISIT OF THE CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF TO THE NAVAL BASE, BAGA IN LAKE CHAD BORNO STATE

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, has urged officers and ratings of the Lake Chad Naval Base in Baga, Borno State to be extra vigilant and alert at various duty posts at all times in order to neutralize insurgents and other criminal elements in their area of responsibility as well as avoid any act/conduct that could compromise their safety and undermine the security of the base.

The CNS reminded the personnel of his mission and mission statement and urged them to work towards realizing the vision in line with the directive of President and Commander-in-Chief’s promise to end insecurity in Nigeria. The naval chief stated this when he paid operational visits to Baga on Tuesday. While addressing the officers and ratings, Admiral Gambo said the relocation of Naval Base Lake Chad to Baga constitutes a key operational objective in the ongoing effort at ending insurgency in the Northeast`. “The military high command in general and the Nigeria Navy in particular recognize the critical role of the Naval Base Lake Chad. We are committed to ensuring that the Naval Base continues to carry out its operational mandate and indeed make Nigerian Navy proud.”

The CNS commended the personnel at the base for their good conduct and urged them to maintain the standard. He warned them to avoid substance/drug abuse which is capable of compromising their health and operational effectiveness and stressed that the Nigerian Navy would hand over any personnel found wanting to NDLEA or the appropriate government agency. “I commend the Commander and ratings of the Naval Base Lake Chad for your professional conduct and for successfully returning to Baga. Your effort is very necessary for the overall success of the entire operations in the North east. I urge you to maintain the momentum in collaboration with other services so that desired results can be achieved.” On welfare of personnel, the CNS said he was aware of the needs of personnel on operational deployment and assured them of his commitment to addressing their welfare.

The CNS emphasized the need for cooperation and synergy of efforts, insisting that the prevailing national security challenges demand robust synergy of effort by the Armed Forces, Nigerian Police and other security agencies as well as all stakeholders. He said that the peculiar nature of the Northeast theatre of operation necessitated the participation of troops from neighbouring countries under the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) which required cooperation, synergy, cordial working relationship of all components and contingents of the participating countries in the theatre in the interest of national and regional security to defeat the common enemy of terrorism and insurgency.

The CNS who restated the commitment of the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with other services to ensuring that the new year is ushered in with a high degree of economic activities in the Lake Chad Basin, promised provision of operational assets/logistics to enable the Naval Base function effectively. The CNS also charged the commanders to build a robust civil-military relationship that will help in winning the hearts and minds of the communities by carrying out corporate social responsibility activities such as provision of boreholes among others. In their separate remarks, the Commander, MNJTF, Major General Abdul-Khalifa Ibrahim and Theatre Commander, Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Christopher Musa, commended the CNS for taking operational tour to Baga on a public holiday adding that the visit has boosted the morale of the troops.