The United States Navy has acknowledged a Nigerian Naval officer in its ranks for his efforts in protecting America from cyber threats

Petty Officer 1st Class Adebayo Adepoju serving in the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command was honoured in a statement by the Navy Office of Community Outreach on Tuesday, for protecting America from cyber threats.  

“According to Navy officials, networks are under continuous threats of attack by a broad array of state actors, terrorist organizations, ‘hacktivist’ groups, organized crime, and individual hackers,” the statement said. “Today, Adepoju plays a crucial role in defending against cyber threats in support of the command’s mission to collect, analyze and report on communication signals using computers, specialized computer-assisted equipment, and video display terminals.”

Accepting the honour, Mr Adepoju said he was thankful for the lessons he learned while living in Nigeria.

“I’m proud of being meritoriously advanced to my current rank and for my selection as Sailor of the Year,” said Mr Adepoju. “On both occasions, my leadership recognized my small contribution to my team. I’m honored to serve as a role model for junior sailors both on and off duty.”

Vice Admiral Ross Myers, commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet, praised the efforts of the officers serving in the Navy, saying “sailors and civilians are at the forefront of disrupting the ability of bad actors to execute their plans, which often degrade U.S. interests.

“Alongside our sister services, Fleet Cyber Command is on the frontlines to thwart malicious efforts in cyberspace – we are engaged against adversaries, around the globe and around the clock – 24/7/365,” Mr Myers said. 

Mr Adepoju attended Methodist Grammar School in Bodija Ibadan and graduated in 2001. He graduated from Lindenwood University, St. Charles, Missouri, in 2013 with a Master of Business Administration.