The Nigerian Navy has conducted a search and rescue simulation exercise aimed at reducing the rate of boat mishap casualties recorded with the nation’s maritime domain.
The exercise, which held at the Naval Shipyard Limited in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was informed by the increasing rate of boat mishaps in the country.
It was organised in line with the directive from the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, with 10 other government agencies, including the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as participants.
Speaking during the exercise, Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, said the Nigerian Navy was poised to save lives at sea, noting that apart from protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain from both external and internal threats, the Navy also has a duty to protect lives.
Igbo commended the Rivers State government and the Chief of Naval Staff for their support in the conduct of the exercise.
He said: “This event is occasioned by the increased rate of boat mishaps and number of casualties recorded in Nigeria’s maritime domain including Rivers State in recent times.
“The Nigerian Navy in keeping with its constitutional mandate of ensuring safety and security of the nation’s maritime environment mobilized other relevant maritime stakeholders to emplace a SAR procedure in order to curb this trend.
“The SAR SIMEX is aimed at exercising the Nigerian Navy and other relevant maritime agencies in Emergency SAR operations to effectively conduct SAR operations in the maritime environment with a view to encouraging the Rivers State Government to reactivate its Emergency SAR team.
“The exercise was necessitated by the need for the Nigerian Navy to save lives at sea, apart from protecting the maritime environment including oil and gas assets. We also have the mandate to protect lives and properties, that is why the CNS mandated us to simulated this exercise with other security agencies.
“The point is that we must protect lives, in collaboration with other stakeholders including the Rivers State Government. We already have our Naval boats and ships in the creeks, in case of any emergency.”
In his remarks, Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, commended the Nigerian Navy for conducting the exercise and hinted of plans to revitalise the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)
Fubara, who was represented by his deputy, Ngozi Odu, recalled the heroic act of a Rivers indigene, Joe Blankson, who lost his life after rescuing 14 persons during a boat mishap along Bakana River in 2018.
The governor said: “We must commend the Nigerian Navy for putting the simulation exercise together, and to let us know that we all have a part to play in ensuring a holistic approach for safety and security on our waterways.”
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olatunji Disu, who described the Marine Police as one of the most important agencies in water operations, assured of readiness to collaborate with other agencies in carrying out rescue operations within the state’s waterways.