The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to aggressively securing the nation’s maritime environment to drive sustained growth in crude oil production. Speaking on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, during an operational tour of the Eastern Naval Command in Calabar, Cross River State, the naval chief emphasized that a secure maritime domain is the bedrock of national economic stability.
During the visit, Vice Admiral Abbas commissioned several projects at the Atimbo Barracks, including two newly completed permanent accommodation blocks for junior ratings. He stated that his visit was designed to perform an “on-the-spot assessment” of operational readiness and personnel welfare.
According to the CNS, the Navy’s strategy for 2026 focuses on four key pillars: strengthening maritime security operations, modernizing the naval fleet through technology, improving personnel welfare, and deepening collaboration with other security agencies.
The naval chief expressed satisfaction with the Eastern Naval Command’s current performance, noting that enhanced patrol and surveillance activities are already yielding results in safeguarding critical infrastructure.
This operational drive aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to increase national daily oil production. Abbas assured that the Navy would continue to intensify its presence across the waterways to deny criminal elements freedom of action, particularly targeting crude oil theft and illegal bunkering.
In addition to his engagements in Calabar, the CNS recently conducted a landmark visit to the North-East to assess naval operations in the Lake Chad region. There, he highlighted the Navy’s success in dredging 11km of waterways to disrupt terrorist supply lines and restore local economic activities. These combined efforts across both the Niger Delta and the Lake Chad Basin reflect a broader military strategy to reclaim peace and secure Nigeria’s vital resources in the new year.
, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy's commitment to aggressively securing the nation's maritime environment to drive sustained growth in crude oil production. Speaking on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, during an operational tour of the Eastern Naval Command in Calabar, Cross River State, the naval chief emphasized that a secure maritime domain is the bedrock of national economic stability.){kind=link}