Navy ensures safety of Nigerian economic activities on the sea – FOC

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), the Western Naval Command, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Michael Oamen, has noted that the Nigerian Navy has a lot of responsibilities in ensuring security and peace in the Gulf of Guinea, safeguard economic activities and checkmate all activities of pirates and other criminal activities on the nation’s waters.

Rear Admiral Michael Oamen stated this when he received a delegation of the Australian Defence Forces, led by Brigadier General Basset, Director General, in charge of Platform Development, at the command in Lagos on Tuesday, March, 2025.

Earlier, Brigadier General Basset, Director General, in charge of Platform Development, Australian Defence Forces, who led the  delegation, said the purpose of the visit to the Western Naval Command was to see and acknowledge the Nigerian Navy’s state of the art landing craft, NNS Kada

Welcoming the delegation to the Command, the FOC, Rear Admiral Michael Oamen first, extended a very special warm welcome from the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to the visiting Australian Naval Officers.

Rear Admiral Oamen attributed the linking cord between Nigeria and Australia to the ocean, which runs around the entire globe and makes the world become like a global village.

He explained that Nigeria and Australia belong to the same commonwealth hence the need for collaboration and he was even more happy that the visit has taken the collaboration even deeper, with the visit of the delegation, which has come to see what the Nigerian Navy is doing.

“The Nigerian Navy is one of the leading navies in Africa and is always happy to collaborate with the navies of advanced countries like Australia,” the FOC said while explaining that the Nigerian Navy has affirmed the global standards that has been associated with the Nigerian Military, especially the Nigerian Navy which feels very humble that the Australian Navy has recognised her as having one of the best landing craft, NNS Kada.

He explained that such international collaboration makes international security strengthened and helps to enhance standards operations.

According to the Naval Boss, the Nigerian Navy is excited to have the Team in the country and it is in accordance with the Chief of Naval Staff’s vision and guidance, to align with foreign Navies to expand the frontiers of international collaboration and that is the reason the  Nigerian Navy is happy to receive the visitors and would also benefit something from them while comparing notes, as that is the essence of international collaboration.

“We are happy to have NN Kadar, the new state of the art landing craft, considering what the Nigerian Navy had done it is even more humbling, hoping that by the time, Director General Basset and his delegation would get onboard the Craft, they would know about the capability of the vessel and by the time they will build a similar Craft, perhaps, a much better version, the Nigerian Navy would then go there to see what would have been added to make for the needed improvements”

The  FOC noted that collaboration would continue and that would further help in the international maritime security, because at the end of the day, it is for the wellbeing of both countries, for where there is trade, there will be development and then security.

Rear Admiral Oamen however expressed the hope that whatever the Team would take home after the visit, would be very useful in their future plans.

Coveted the NNS Kada, Brigadier General Basset hoped the Australian Defence Forces hoped to build a relationship with the Nigerian Navy in future to collectively operate the vessel together in a very seamless way for both countries.

Basset acknowledged the NNS Kada and found out, to be the best in the world, after period of searches around the globe.

 After inspecting the NNS Kada, Brigadier Basset noted that they were in Nigeria  to see what makes the  Craft, the very best and to examine it, with a view to understudying it so as to build similar craft when they get home.

He explained that the Team would look at the craft, study it and would come back sometime in the future with more technical personnel to also look at it and learn from it.

“We have come here to see something we have been excited about for sometime now. We are most excited to come and see it and we will take everything that we will learn back to Australia and start construction of the same craft. We are believing that at some stage in the future, we shall come together and learn assistance as “Sisters” on the ocean and we hope that the Nigerian Navy and the Australian Navy can navigate and celebrate successes together,” said he, commending the FOC for the opportunity of the emerging collaboration.

 Present with the FOC, at the Command to receive the Delegation, were the Chief Staff Officer, Western Command, Rear Admiral S.D. Ibrahim, Captain T.A. Ogunkoya, Captain L.D. Oleyin, Commander Information Unit, A. Ahmed and the others.