By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Naval Headquarters Department of Training and Operations, on Saturday reiterated its commitment to the fight against crude oil theft in the country.
The Chief of Training and Operations (Navy), Rear Adm. Olusegun Ferreira, said this at a dinner to honour the past Chief of Training and Operation, Rear Adm. Zakariya Muhammad and other officers, in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 15 persons, including Rear Admirals, Commodores, Captains and other junior officers were honoured with gifts at the dinner organised by the department.
Ferreira, said the training and operations department had been the hub of the navy in terms of its operations at sea and training of personnel .
Ferreira also said that the senior officers being sent off had put in their best to ensure that the objectives set out for the branch were met.
He added that the branch under his command would continue to build on what the outgone officers had done.
“All of this is in service to our motherland. The training and operations branch is the hub in terms of addressing the challenges of crude oil thefts and of course, by extension the revenue coming into the country.
“So there is a direct connection between what we do in the branch and of course, the economic prosperity of Nigeria.
“We want to assure Nigerians that we will continue to do what we need to do to ensure that this challenge is nipped in the board,” he said.
Ferreira also explained that the event was organised to honor various officers that had served in the branch at one point or the other, and had been appointed out to other duties.
According to him, it is a tradition that when senior officers are appointed out, we find an opportunity to appreciate them for their service and to say thank you for what they have done in the training and operations branch.
“We must recognise their contributions to the branch in maintaining the standard of excellence and of course, what they have done during their time.
“I want to say thank you to all of you for your service in the training and operations branch,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the officers, being sent off, the Commandant, Defence Intelligence College (DIC), Rear Adm. Patrick Effah, said they appreciated the Almighty God for giving them the grace, wisdom and the enablement to serve in the branch.
Effah thanked the Chief of Training and Operations for the honour done them, adding that most of them were not expecting the gathering for them to be remembered.
“So, for the branch to have come up with this, send off for us is quite heartwarming.
“”We want to wish the branch the best. We know that the work is actually so much with so much out cry with respect to crude oil theft, oil bunkering and other maritime crimes.
“The weight of it all these lies on the head of the branch and the staff officers that we are leaving behind’,” he said. (NAN)