BY: VITALIS UGOH Calabar
The Nigerian Navy NN, Eastern Naval Command has rounded off activities marking its 64th Anniversary with Ceremonial Sunset at the Command’s headquarters, Calabar.
Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral David Adeniran, while declaring the ceremony open said that the ceremony which coincided with the Navy Week celebration 2020 otherwise known as “Retreat Call”, is a solemn ceremony involving the bungle call as well as hoisting and lowering of flags to signal the end of day and ushers in a new day.
The FOC stated that in line with the Navy’s desire to make live more meaningful to its personnel and members of its host communities which remained as part of activity to mark the Navy Week celebration, the command gave palliatives to vulnerable ones within the area of its operational zone.
Adeniran maintained that the command also distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as commissioned a sickbay at the headquarters of Eastern Naval for value addition of its operations.
According to the FOC, other activities includes the commissioning of the remodelled Otiko and Saidu Girls Hostel at the Nigerian Navy Secondary School Borokiri and 200 capacity Boys’ Hostel in Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Akpabuyo as well as the Protestant Chapel at Naval Outpost, Ikuru.
Earlier, in his remarks, Special Guest of Honour, at the ceremony, Rear Admiral Obono Ekwe (rtd), hailed the navy personnel for assisting the nation in the provision of maximium security to the nation’s maritime sector to ensure that every criminal activity like sea robbery and oil thieves are put under serious check.
Ekwe said, “I must commend your professionalism, integrity, teamwork and unyielding commitment which assisted the Eastern Naval Command to successfully undertake series of operations within her area of operations.
“This is in line with the vision and mission of the Chief of Naval Staff with a view to ensuring maritime security and ultimately economic prosperity”,
“I am gladdened that you improved your patrol efforts to reduce the activities of illegal bunkers and refinery operations as well as anti-smuggling activities, anti-piracy/sea robbery which led to the arrest of numerous vessels, persons and the seizure of petroleum products as well as metric tons of crude oil”, he said.
Ekwe urged officers and personnel of the navy not to leave any stone unturned in the course of performing their legitimate task so to halt the spread of corona virus pandemic which has being a torn in the flesh of human race into the barracks.
The retired navy officer called for strict compliance with guidelines reeled out by the Nigeria Centre doe Disease Control NCDC so as to win the fight against spread of the virus into the barracks.
Also speaking at the event Rear Admiral Taye Imam who is the Chief Staff Officer lauded the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, for the support given to the command and called for sustainance of such support from the Navy boss.
