Nigerian Navy: More Than 50% of Naval Ships are Down, Navy Chief Laments

Given its constitutional role in protecting Nigeria's territorial waters, the Nigerian Navy (NN) authority on Monday said more than 50 per cent of the ships needed to achieve this are down.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, said this on Monday while urging officers and ratings to join in the fight against oil theft on the nation's waterways.

Ibas, alongside other senior officers, visited Lagos to have a dialogue with officers and ratings during his familarisation tour at the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Quora in Lagos.

He said, "We have more than 50 per cent of our ships down and some of the problems are avoidable.  I am always perplexed at the way we handle what we call government property.

"The truth is that we are shortchanging ourselves because the money government gives us will go back go repairing those equipment."
On his vision for the navy Ibas said, "My vision is to develop a credible naval power in fulfillment of the Nigerian Navy constitutional roles towards enhancing national property and security."

While addressing personnel on total eradication on oil theft, Ibas also warned officers to stay away from any form of illegal operation.