By Aliyu M. Aliyu
Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff, explained why the Nigerian Navy established a naval base in Kano on Thursday.
Vice Admiral Gambo’s home state of Kano has recently been proposed as a location for a logistics school by the Nigerian Navy.
Many people criticized the decision, claiming that the state does not deserve a naval base because it is so dry.
Kano, like most northern states, lacks a large body of water and, as a result, no port.
However, speaking through the Navy’s Chief of Training and Operations, Rear Admiral Abraham Adaji, at an interactive session with select editors of media houses on Wednesday in Abuja, Mr Gambo stated that the force is present in all six geopolitical zones of the country.
Let me use this opportunity to clarify that what the navy established in Kano is a logistic college, Gambo said, explaining how it was relocated from Owerrinta, somewhere between Aba and Owerri. The granted logistics college has elicited many reactions, but it has also provided us with the opportunity to shed some light on our establishments across the country and some of the programs that we have in place for developing capacity and civil authority in Nigeria.
In the North-central, we also have about 100 men working alongside our colleagues to combat banditry, kidnapping, and all the issues relating to insecurity. Operation save corridor, they are responsible for the management of surrendered terrorists and bandits are working alongside other government agencies. The Navy also is represented there.
Like the Chief of Defense Staff explained, beyond defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria, the Armed forces of Nigeria have the responsibility to offer support to the civil authority to maintain law and order and this secondary role, the Armed forces have been doing everything to develop the capacity but of course, law and order is in the capacity of the government and we are working closely not just with the government, but with other security agencies and the civil society to deliver the much-desired security in the country.
