President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday he had no doubt that the incoming government under the leadership of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would sustain the tempo of his administration.
Speaking at the Presidential Fleet Review, 2023, at the Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos, Buhari said he was pleased with the military’s combat readiness.
He said he had confidence that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, would continue to provide crucial support to the Nigerian Navy, maintaining the positive trajectory achieved during his tenure.
Tinubu: The power of ‘aforiti’
The Presidential Fleet Review will possibly be the last by him in his capacity as President and Commander-in-Chief.
He expressed immense satisfaction with the array of naval assets on display and the combat readiness of the Nigerian military.
Recognizing the nation’s pride in the navy’s numerous achievements during his eight-year administration, the President stated: “I have no doubt that the incoming administration of President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will sustain the current tempo of my administration in giving the Navy necessary support to effectively carry out its assigned tasks.
“My best wishes to our Navy for protecting our maritime domain and the economic prosperity of Nigeria. As I leave office on May 29, I wish you all fair winds. ONWARD TOGETHER and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Buhari said he hoped that under Tinubu’s leadership, the Navy would continue to acquire new assets, expand shipbuilding for export purposes, promote indigenous production, intensify the fight against piracy, and address issues pertaining to crude oil theft in Nigeria’s maritime domain.
He noted the significant reduction in piracy over the past seven years, leading to Nigeria’s removal from the list of piracy-prone countries by the International Maritime Bureau, IMB, in March 2022.
He applauded the application of technology in securing the maritime domain, which facilitated the intelligence-driven deployment of naval ships and enhanced their effectiveness.
The President specifically commended the diligent prosecution of MT HEROIC IDUN, which was detected and apprehended for attempting to load crude oil without authorization offshore Bonny in August 2022.
He noted that this successful interdiction further reaffirmed the navy’s commitment to protecting the country’s resources.
President Buhari, who acknowledged the significance of the diverse ships and helicopters on display, noted that it symbolized the nation’s maritime power and its preparedness to carry out the Navy’s constitutional roles.
Praising the impressive combat displays staged by elements of the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, alongside a combination of assets from the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force, he said:
“I expect this to translate into the actual capability to dominate Nigeria’s maritime environment and secure the vast resources therein for the socio-economic development of our great country.”
Furthermore, the President highlighted the strong link between maritime security and economic prosperity.
Given that the maritime environment serves both as a storehouse of resources as well as a medium for maritime transport in the country, he stressed the importance of the safe and secure utilization of these resources to drive national prosperity and support Nigeria’s aspirations for a thriving blue economy.
On the administration’s efforts in recapitalizing the Navy Fleet in the last seven years, the President listed the acquisition of 20 capital ships for the Navy, comprising offshore patrol vessels, landing ship transports, hydrographic survey vessels, seaward defence boats, helicopters, as well as over 300 inshore patrol vessels and assault craft.
During the fleet review, President Buhari also inaugurated several notable additions to the Navy’s fleet, including a new helicopter, NN410, manufactured in Italy, as well as the landing ship transport NNS KADA, constructed in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
He thanked the People’s Republic of China for the generous donation of NNS IBENO, highlighting the importance of mutual military cooperation with partner nations, which had also encouraged local shipbuilding efforts by the Nigerian Navy.
He declared that the Nigerian Navy’s endeavours in indigenous shipbuilding, in line with the nation’s local content development plan, had yielded positive outcomes.
“Our naval engineers were wholly responsible for building three seaward defence boats, namely NNS ANDONI, NNS KARADUWA and NNS OJI. In December 2021, I performed a keel laying foundation for the construction of 2 Seaward Defence Boats, which will be ready by 2024.
“At this rate, I have no doubt that our Navy will soon commence construction of larger ships for itself and other navies in the region and beyond.
“This achievement is a great pride to Nigeria and an impressive contribution to national development,’’ the President said.
