The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to maritime safety and state collaboration during a formal courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, at the Government House in Calabar.
The visit, which comes as part of the CNS’s nationwide tour of Naval bases and units, served to strengthen the strategic partnership between the Navy and the state government.
Naval Achievements and State Support
During his remarks, Vice Admiral Abbas—who previously served in Calabar as the Commander of NNS VICTORY circa 2020—praised Governor Otu’s administration for its visible infrastructural developments. He formally announced the successful completion of the hydrographic surveys of the Calabar Channel, a critical project undertaken by the Navy at the state’s request.
However, the CNS also drew the Governor’s attention to environmental challenges facing the military, specifically requesting state intervention to tackle gully erosion threatening several Naval barracks and units within the area.
Governor’s Response on Security Synergy
In response, Governor Otu congratulated the CNS on his appointment and underscored the necessity of a proactive Armed Forces in the face of contemporary national security threats.
The Governor attributed the current peace in Cross River State to the Navy’s collaborative approach. “The efforts of the Nigerian Navy commanders in this state have led to significantly improved maritime security,” Otu stated. He further lauded the CNS’s vision of inter-agency synergy and acknowledged the historical role the state plays in Nigeria’s maritime defense.
The Delegation
The CNS was accompanied by a high-powered delegation of senior officers, including:
Rear Admiral JN Mamman, Chief of Administration
Rear Admiral SH Abdullahi, Chief of Logistics
Rear Admiral CD Okehie, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command
Rear Admiral MY Dahiru, Director Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation
The meeting concluded with both leaders pledging to deepen the long-standing ties between the Nigerian Navy and Cross River State to ensure continued economic and coastal stability.
