Nigeria is no longer on the international list of countries prone to piracy by the International Maritime Bureau.
The Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande disclosed this yesterday during the graduation of 20 officers from the Navy War College Calabar.
They graduated from the course seven after three weeks intensive training which commenced on October 14, 2024.
Akinwande said until recently Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea had witnessed significant cases of piracy, sea robbery and kidnapping.
He explained that following concerted efforts of the Nigerian Navy, they have drastically reduced such cases in recent times.
“This state of affairs underscores the critical place of capacity building in the Nigerian Navy and roles of its training institutions in achieving sustained security in the nation’s water ways,” he said.
He charged the 20 graduands to positively contribute to the discharge of the Navy’s statutory responsibilities, as well as be good ambassadors of the college.
The officers were charged to build teams and not just a group of people by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of their team members for effective deployment.
Akinwande said, “Your passage through this course is to better prepare you for the challenges you will be confronted with in the course of your career.
“The very best of you in terms of commitment and loyalty to the service and nation are expected.”
Also speaking, Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed said they have laid a solid professional foundation for the participants to be more effective in the field.
“You’ll be required to integrate the practical experiences you have acquired to enhance the command and leadership skills that you have been taught.
“It’s up to you to build on the knowledge gained, through further self-development efforts, perseverance and tact.
“It is pertinent to state that the process of becoming effective tactical level commanders demand a lot of sacrifice and immense effort.
“However, It is the price that must be paid for success in the field,” he stated.