NAVAL COLLEGE GRADUATES 18 MILITARY OFFICERS

EIGHTEEN military officers at the weekend graduated from the Naval Warfare Course 3 of the Nigeria Navy War College, Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The graduands were the third set since the institution’s inception in 2017.

But they were the first batch of graduands from Calabar, where the permanent site of the institution is now located.

At the graduation ceremony held at the Eastern Naval Command headquarters in Calabar, the Minister of Defense, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), represented by the Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, said: “The nation expects you to be focused on your assigned duties and to justify the huge resources that were committed to your training.

“This can be achieved by employing the knowledge and competencies gained from the college in your future assignments. I am optimistic that your performance in the field would attest to the growing reputation of the college as a center of excellence for maritime security studies in the sub-region.”

The minister hailed Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, the college’s board, the commandant, members of Faculty and the workers for the giant strides the college had recorded.

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“There is no gainsaying that the Defense Headquarters (DHQ) will continue to support the naval headquarters in meeting the training needs of the college.

“In particular, Mr. President (Muhammadu Buhari) recently assented to the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Bill of 2019. It is expected that this will further support the efficiency of naval operations designed to contain crude oil theft and other illegalities in our maritime domain.”

Cross River State Deputy Governor Ivara Esu, who represented Governor Ben Ayade, thanked the Federal Government for siting the college in the capital town and relocating it last January.

The governor assured that his administration would continue to support the college to achieve its aims and objectives.

The college’s Commandant Rear Admiral A. O. Ayobanjo said the participants passed through written and oral assessments and had been imbued with the capacity to plan and execute warfare in defense of the nation.