NAVY - DHQ Nigeria

THE NIGERIA NAVY

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NIGERIAN NAVY

The origin of the Nigerian Navy could be traced to the Marine Department of the Royal Navy established in 1887 as a quasi-military organization, which combined the duties of the present-day Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority and the Nigerian Navy. Elements of the Marine Department took part in military operations against the Germans in Cameroun during the First World War between 1914–1918. However, the colonial administration disbanded the colonial Marine Department and the 250 officers and men of the disbanded Marine Department were put together to form the nucleus of the Nigerian Naval Force (NNF) in April 1956. The Force was later renamed Naval Defence Force (NDF) of Nigeria which commenced operation on 1 June 1956. On 1 August 1956, the first legislation on the Navy was passed by the House of Representatives and was assented to on 5 September 1956 by Sir James Robertson, the Governor-General of Nigeria. It was called the Nigerian Navy Ordinance. The Ordinance re-designated the NNDF as the Royal Nigerian Navy. Consequently, on 1 May 1958, the NDF was legally established as a force and re-designated Royal Nigerian Navy (RNN) as a mark of allegiance to the Queen of England.

In 1963, when Nigeria became a republic, the prefix “Royal” was dropped and the name became the Nigerian Navy (NN). The modern day NN came into being legally through the Act of Parliament No 21 of 1964. At inception, the NN was statutorily required to patrol only 3 nautical miles, which was the limit of the territorial waters. The post-independence Navy Act of 1964, formally established the NN and removed the limitation of the NN operations to the country’s territorial waters. However, the NN remained with a few patrol boats without evolving significantly into a multi-mission maritime arm of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 and the National Defence Policy 2006 accordingly charged the NN with the defence of Nigeria by sea. These statutes also expanded NN roles to cover the full spectrum of military, policing and diplomatic functions of a modern navy. Performing these roles efficiently and effectively entails linkage and synergy with the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force and other relevant maritime security agencies. The origin of the Nigerian Navy could be traced to the Marine Department of the Royal Navy established in 1887 as a quasi-military organization, which combined the duties of the present-day Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority and the Nigerian Navy. Elements of the Marine Department took part in military operations against the Germans in Cameroun during the First World War between 1914–1918. However, the colonial administration disbanded the colonial Marine Department and the 250 officers and men of the disbanded Marine Department were put together to form the nucleus of the Nigerian Naval Force (NNF) in April 1956. The Force was later renamed Naval Defence Force (NDF) of Nigeria which commenced operation on 1 June 1956. On 1 August 1956, the first legislation on the Navy was passed by the House of Representatives and was assented to on 5 September 1956 by Sir James Robertson, the Governor-General of Nigeria. It was called the Nigerian Navy Ordinance. The Ordinance re-designated the NNDF as the Royal Nigerian Navy. Consequently, on 1 May 1958, the NDF was legally established as a force and re-designated Royal Nigerian Navy (RNN) as a mark of allegiance to the Queen of England.

In 1963, when Nigeria became a republic, the prefix “Royal” was dropped and the name became the Nigerian Navy (NN). The modern day NN came into being legally through the Act of Parliament No 21 of 1964. At inception, the NN was statutorily required to patrol only 3 nautical miles, which was the limit of the territorial waters. The post-independence Navy Act of 1964, formally established the NN and removed the limitation of the NN operations to the country’s territorial waters. However, the NN remained with a few patrol boats without evolving significantly into a multi-mission maritime arm of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 and the National Defence Policy 2006 accordingly charged the NN with the defence of Nigeria by sea. These statutes also expanded NN roles to cover the full spectrum of military, policing and diplomatic functions of a modern navy. Performing these roles efficiently and effectively entails linkage and synergy with the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force and other relevant maritime security agencies.

CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF (CNS)

Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla was born on 20 December 1968 in Enugu Ezike Igbo Eze north LGA Enugu State, Nigeria. He obtained the WASC from the NMS Zaria in June 1987 where he graduated as the best boy in Sciences. He had A1 in all subjects except English language. He is a member of the 39 Regular Course Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna graduated with a BSc in Maths and was awarded sword of honour as the best naval cadet in his course. He was commissioned Sub Lieutenant 16 September 1992 and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral on 16 September 2021. He completed the Sub Technical Course Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) QUORRA, Basic Hydrography National Hydrographic School India in May 2000, Junior and Senior Staff Courses Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji in November 2001 and July 2006 respectively. He was a participant of National Defence Course (NDC) Course 22 and was awarded fdc (fellow defence college) in August 2014. As part of the Course, he took part in the MSc Strategic Studies programme, University of Ibadan from 2014 to 2015.

The senior officer served on board many ships including NNS AMBE, ARADU, LANA, EKUN, AGU, QUORRA, BEECROFT, DELTA and PATHFINDER. While on board NNS EKUN he took part in the ECOMOG Operations in Liberia in 1996. Also as the Base operations officer in NNS PATHFINDER, he was responsible for coordinating anti illegal bunkering operations as well the entire policing duties of the base. During the period there was a remarkable reduction in illegal activities in the maritime area within the base area of operations.

The senior officer also served as Instructor, Chief Instructor (CI) and Commandant (Comdt) Nigerian Navy Hydrographic School (NNHS), Staff Officer Grade 1 Survey and Deputy Director Instruments Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office (NNHO), Assistant Director Combat Policy NHQ, Deputy Director Hydrography, Director Personnel Release NHQ, as well as Directing Staff/Director Academic Research and Analytical Skills (DS/DARAS) NDC and Director Audit, Naval Safety and Standards NHQ. He was the Director Lessons Learnt (DLL), NHQ. During his cumulative 6-year tour of duty in NNHS, he taught geodesy, datum conversion, tidal predictions and analysis, satellite surveying, bathymetry, among others. As Comdt, he linked the School with Teledyn Marines, a reputable OEM in the US, which enabled the NN to procure several survey equipment from the company, leading to improvements in practical training. He was also instrumental to the review of the School’s curriculum to align with International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) requirements. During his tour of duty in the NNHO, the senior officer was instrumental to the localisation of tidal prediction and analysis. He participated in the Food and Agricultural Organisation sponsored Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem survey in 2004 and provided professional inputs during the survey and production of the NNHO charts. During his tour of duty at the NDC, he contributed towards the improvement of the College research package and also led the 2018 participants research study tour to China and South Korea. As DLL he was responsible for collating and analysing previous NN Operations and activities with the objective of drawing lessons necessary for doctrinal and operational improvements.

The Senior officer is decorated with: FSS(Forces Service Star) MSS (Meritorious Service Star) DSS (Distinguished Service Star) GSS (Grand Service Star) He is a member of the Nigerian Hydrographic Society, Nigerian Institute of Management, the International Earth Rotation Services and also a fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association of the UK. He is married to Mrs Ijeoma Ogalla and the marriage is blessed with 2 children. His hobbies include jogging, reading, listening and researching about science and nature.

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