The Naval War College Nigeria, has graduated 15 officers, who have completed the pioneer war course of the Institution.
The graduates include, 12 Naval officers, two Air Force officers and one army officer, who commenced training and studies after the inauguration of the college on the 21 of July this year.
They were trained on strategies of providing adequate security for the nation’s maritime domain.
The graduation ceremony was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff; General Gabriel Olonisakin, who charged the officers to remain courageous and professional in the discharge of their duties.
General Gabriel Olonisakin encouraged them to apply the skills learned during their studies in confronting threats to Nigerian maritime environment.
According to him, “As you now stand to return to your units and formations, I want you to bear in mind that you will be given appointments and responsibilities that would challenge and task the skills you have acquired here.
“Your sense of judgment in applying these skills would even be more apparent Now that we are confronting varied maritime threats in our portion of the global common and indeed the adjoining waters.
“You must therefore brace up to these kind of envisaged challenges and measure up to them with courage, conviction and in the most professional manner.
“In this regard I wish to appreciate the Federal Government on His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, for the continued support to the Armed Forces of Nigerian.
“The transformation in the capabilities of the armed Forces of Nigeria and indeed the Nigerian Navy, which we are witnessing in the 2 years have been made possible through the support and encouragement of the president,” he added.
On his part, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, urged the Naval War College graduates to defend the credentials they have obtained from the institution, which he said are backed by global best practices in military training.
Ibas said: “It is gratifying to note that the college consistently applied global best practices in your training and spared no efforts to turn out quality.
“In the same measure, I congratulate you the participants for your success on the course.
“I am convinced that having absorbed and retained all that have been deposited in you, a new kind of maritime leaders, imbued to conduct in depth interrogation of inter plays in the nation’s maritime frontiers, have been borne.”
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Commandant of the Naval War College, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia disclosed that the college was created to fill skills, abilities and knowledge gaps within the management cadre to enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Navy to respond to the emerging maritime threats.
