Newly commissioned officers of the Nigerian navy could be deployed to the northeast to be part of the war against Boko Haram insurgents, according to the minister of defence, Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau (rtd).
The minister made the disclosure on Friday, March 20, 2015, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, as the reviewing officer for the passing out parade of the direct short service commission course, 22 Cadets, at the Nigerian Naval College at Onne, Rivers state.
While advising the 110 commissioned officers to be focused and committed to their duties as naval officers, the minister, who was represented by the chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh, enjoined the newly commissioned officers to ensure they internalized all the internal security training they were given during the programme.
He also told the naval officers that they would need the training during internal security operations.
In his words: “Let me also warn you that as a result of a few ongoing internal security challenges in some parts of the country, some of you may find yourselves being deployed for such duties or operations in no distant future.
I enjoin you to keep afresh in your memory the internal security training you have been given as a lot of it would come handy when you are deployed for internal duties or operations.
I implore you to focus on the Nigerian Navy’s role of supporting the government in maintaining political stability and not allow yourselves be used as an instrument for destabilizing our great nation.”
Boko Haram insurgents
The Minister congratulated the cadets for becoming gentlemen officers of the navy, adding that, “ I want to congratulate the Chief of Naval Staff for their relentless efforts at turning out these cadets into gentlemen officers ready for deployment to the various units and establishments of the Nigerian Navy.”
