The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, on Thursday said the Nigerian Navy remains committed to combating maritime crimes and ensuring safety on the waterways.

He disclosed this on Thursday during an inspection of facilities at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital and other projects in Calabar.

“The Navy is committed to making Nigeria’s waters safe and secure. Be rest assured that we are going to make our maritime environment very safe and secure,” he said.

The naval chief said he was satisfied with the facilities and operational gains the navy had made in recent weeks.

“I am happy with what I have seen, and particularly the operational gains that have been made in the last few weeks are encouraging,” he said.

He noted that the navy’s mandate is maritime security, adding that he is assessing its operational capabilities to identify critical challenges and prioritise security areas.

“I am here in Calabar as part of my operations visit, which I embarked on some weeks ago; I have been going around to various naval commands, units, and formations.

“Basically, I am here to assess the operational capabilities of the navy with a view to getting to know some of the critical challenges,” he said.

Mr Abbas noted that the tour is part of an effort to identify what requires prioritisation to achieve the navy’s mandate.

(NAN)