By Olanrewaju Ajao President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the Nigerian Armed Forces now possess the requisite capacity to defeat the Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast.
The President said this today at the Nigerian Navy Dockyard in Victoria Island, Lagos where he commissioned four new Naval ships.
The President assured Nigerians that the March 28th and April 11th elections would go ahead as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
President Jonathan commended officers and men of the Nigerian Army who are fighting the terrorists in the northeast, saying he was very impressed with the reports of successes coming out of the zone.
He said his administration had made it a deliberate policy to properly equip and improve the security architecture available for officers and men of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force, saying that is why a lot of positive stories are coming out of the northeast recently.
“Let me also use this platform to promise my good country men and women that we will rout Boko Haram. Our capacity to achieve results in the northeast has increased sufficiently. Our men and officers are doing well in the northeast and we must conduct the elections as scheduled by INEC. We will return the north to safety,” the President said.
Speaking on the Navy, President Jonathan said the investment of his administration in providing crucial equipment and facilities for maritime operations was responsible for the significant reduction in cases of oil theft and other maritime crimes.
The 4 ships which he commissioned today were according to him part of the transformation agenda of his administration in the security sector, adding that it will further boost the capacity of the Navy to fight maritime crimes.
The 4 ships commissioned were Nigerian Navy Ship Okpabana, Nigerian Navy Ship Sagbama, Nigerian Navy Ship Prosperity and Nigerian Navy Ship Centenary.
The President also announced that the ships were part of 6 which will be commissioned for the Navy this year, adding that one of the ships which came from the United States was the 6th from that country since 2002.
While reiterating his administration’s commitment to women empowerment, President Jonathan expressed delight with the fact that female officers of the Nigerian Navy are now participating in some offshore activities of the Nigerian Navy.
He continued: “The Chief of Naval Staff just told me that in developed countries, women are commanding some sensitive Navy platforms. Going forward our women can also do it. It will happen here too. ”
He acknowledged the fact that this was the first time any Nigerian government would commission 5 Naval ships at the same time, since the last time it happened, the then President Shehu Shagari had commissioned 3 ships.
Speaking earlier, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin commended the present administration for committing huge resources into the advancement of Naval operations, adding that yesterday’s ceremony was a milestone in the history of the Navy.
He noted that the 4 Naval ships would be deployed into the effective patrol of the country’s territorial waters.
The Naval Chief also handed the 4 ships to their respective commanding officers in the presence of the President.
NNS Okpabana was handed to Captain Majidadi Ibrahim while NNS Centenary was handed over to Captain Chidozie Donald Okehie. Captain BK Effiong was given the responsibility to command NNS Sagbama while Captain Musin Yahaya Abba will take charge of NNS Prosperity.
Also at the occasion were Minister of Defense, Lt General Aliyu Gusau (rtd) former service chiefs, Ola Saad Ibrahim and Dele Oba, Chief of Defense Staff, Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff, General Kenneth Minimah and Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba.
Others were Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, National chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Muazu, Chief of Staff to the President, General Jones Arogbofa (rtd) among others.
