Naval Chief Warns Personnel over Collusion with Criminals, Vows Stiff Sanctions

*Minister charges newly promoted officers on loyalty, professionalism
*CDS: December, most peaceful period in North-east, North-west

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Chief of the Staff Naval, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, yesterday, warned personnel of the Nigerian Navy colluding with criminals to desist from such acts or face the full weight of the law.

He, however, vowed to impose stiff sanctions against such erring staff collaborating with illegal oil bunkerers and maritime criminals.

The naval chief spoke at the decoration of senior officers promoted to the rank of commodore and rear admiral.

This is as the Minister of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Magashi (rtd) charged newly promoted senior officers of the Nigerian Army to discharge their duties professionally and remain loyal to the constitution.

Also, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, has said for the first time in a long while, the month of December was peaceful in the North-east and North-west.

The naval chief said in spite of the laudable achievements of the Navy, some personnel had continued to collaborate with maritime criminals, thereby sabotaging their efforts.

“The Navy in collaboration with other security agencies have continuously strived to protect the economic mainstay of the country through various operations to counter illegal oil bunkering and crude oil theft in the country.

“While there are significant achievements in the fight against these maritime crimes, there are a pocket of personnel still colluding with criminals to sabotage these efforts.

“Let me, therefore, warn that any act of collusion with criminals or sabotage of measures emplaced to checkmate illegalities will be met with stiff sanctions in accordance with the law of the land.
“Note that as leaders of the service, you are expected to be above board and ensure that your subordinates equally buy into the zero-tolerance stance of the Nigerian Navy,” he said.

Gambo called on the newly promoted officers to imbibe the quality of good leadership in the discharge of their responsibilities, adding that the armed services remained “a performance oriented organisation”, and that, “quality leadership in the armed forces is essential for the optimal realisation of its objectives.

“Notably, in the profession of arms, the optimal employment of men and materiel has direct impact on operational outcomes in the theatre and national security, as a whole. Hence, despite the huge number of annual enlistments into the military, only the most dedicated and loyal rise to the very apex of the profession.

“Indeed, it is the dream of every officer to reach the peak of his/her career in the service. However, only a few eventually realise this dream. The ceremony today, which is the crowning glory of your hard work, total dedication and loyalty to the service and by extension the nation is no mean feat.

“I, therefore, congratulate all of you for being among the selected few that made it to this rank of your career. Note that while it takes hard work to reach a glorious height, it takes harder work to remain up there. I, therefore, unreservedly congratulate each of you and urge you all to justify the confidence of a proud and deserving nation,” he said.

Irabor, in his remarks, said the armed forces had performed so credibly well that the North-east and North-west were peaceful in the month of December for the first time in a long time.

He stated that 2021 was challenging and that 2022 would be more challenging, while noting that the core of officers promoted in the three services were expected to meet the challenges of 2022.
In the same vein, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, urged the newly elevated senior officers to rededicate themselves to the service of the nation.

He said promotion was a management tool deployed to motivate staff and have them do more even as he urged those, who were not promoted, owing to some factors including absence of vacancies not to give up.

Meanwhile, Magashi, has charged newly promoted senior officers of the Nigerian Army to discharge their duties professionally and remain loyal to the constitution.
The minister spoke during the decoration of newly promoted Brig Gens to substantive rank of Major General and Colonels to the rank of Brigadier General at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja.

He felicitated with the newly promoted senior officers, describing their elevation as a recognition for their diligence and selfless sacrifices individually and collectively to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the nation in general.

He reminded the promoted officers of the enormous responsibilities that come with their promotion, adding that the country relied on their wealth of knowledge, character and professionalism to develop an enduring panacea that would completely defeat insurgency, banditry and other forms of criminality in the country.

He assured them that the federal government would continue to support the Nigerian Army especially, in the acquisition of military hardware to facilitate the conduct of its operations across the country.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, while speaking at the investiture, also charged the newly decorated officers to remain loyal to the President and constitution.
He reminded them of the current security challenges and urged them to remain focused in their effort to ensure peace and security across the country.

He expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for his strategic guidance and the confidence reposed in the NA and other security agencies.

One of the newly decorated senior officers, Major General Chijioke Onwunle, who spoke on behalf of all the decorated officers, reaffirmed their unalloyed loyalty to the President and the constitution.

Dignitaries that graced the occasion were Magashi, Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki; Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume; Chairman, House Committee on Army, Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas; Speaker, Kaduna House of Assembly, Hon Ysuf Zailani; Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, His Excellency, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai (Rtd); Representatives of the Chiefs of Naval and Air Staff; President, Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association, Mrs Salamatu Faruk Yahaya; serving and retired senior officers, principal staff officers from defence and services headquarters, amongst others.