The Nigerian Navy has highlighted some its major challenges in its 70 years journey to include technology and research development.
Rear Admiral Akinola Olatunde, Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval Headquarters, stated this at an international press briefing to mark the Nigerian Navy 70th anniversary celebration in Abuja on Thursday.
Fielding questions from journalists, Olatunde noted that over the years the Navy has changed from the focus on just policing duties, to diplomatic and also to military duties.
He noted that over years, the Nigerian Navy has transformed from a modest coastal policing navy into a formidable instrument of national power, regional stability and blue-water prestige through resilience and strategic adaptability.
DAILY POST reports that the Nigerian Navy was established on 1 June 1956 and as the then, it was known as Naval Defence Force with 250 officers and men as well as 11 ships inherited from the erstwhile Colonial Marine Department of the Royal Navy.
In 1958, it was designated as the Royal Nigerian Navy in 1958 and the prefix Royal was dropped when Nigeria became a republic in 1963.
The modern-day Nigerian Navy was legally established through the Act of Parliament No 21 of 1964 as a statutory branch of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Instructively, the first Nigerian to head the Nigerian Navy in 1964 was then Commodore JEA Wey.
He said the Navy needs to improve in the areas of cyber and in terms of evolving nature of crime for instance people trying to move drugs across from other neighboring countries into Nigeria.
He further stated, “We also have drones that also work on autonomous systems, but on the aspect of the submarine, linking it up to how threats evolve. Countries assess what is their threat over a long period of time. It is based on that threat assessment that they acquire vessels to meet a long term threat or what they consider as a immediate or medium term threat.
“Within Africa, when we assess our threats and we have our own strategic plan down to 2030, underwater threat is not one of the priorities for now, but again, these matters are what you consider under net assessment, where you have to monitor and see how things are evolving over a period of time.
“We would have loved to be further ahead in terms of technology, we would have loved to be further ahead in terms of research and development. One of the lessons we learned during the Civil War is that every service, armed forces as a whole, should try as much as possible to be independent when it comes to military production.
“So when it comes to research and development we’re yet to be there. That is an area that we would like to improve upon. Remember, we had a time when the country was denied the opportunity to procure armaments, and we have to rely on other part of the world, so it’s an aspect that the Nigeria military is looking at to see how we can be self-sufficient, not just in ship production, but also in record system and other areas that are more technology inclined.”
Nigerian Navy highlights major challenges as it marks 70 years in existence
Nigerian Navy highlights major challenges as it marks 70 years in existence
