The Eastern Naval Command, ENC of the Nigerian Navy, on Wednesday conducted a harbour defence simulation training exercise to consolidate troops’ readiness to respond to harbour threats.
The exercise, which was flagged off by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), ENC, Rear Admiral Chidozie Okehie, was conducted at the Nigeria Navy Ship, NNS VICTORY, jetty in Calabar.
Okehie Represented by the Chief Staff Officer, Rear Admiral Steven Ibrahim, explained that the exercise was nicknamed “EXERCISE EDIKPEME-MUO”, which means safe waters in Efik and Ibibio languages.
He said the exercise was designed to practice harbour drills and emergency response procedures involving ships alongside, NNS VICTORY and other support units within the command.
The FOC said the objective of the exercise was to test the level of alertness, coordination and inter-unit synergy in the event of an attack or emergency.
According to him, the aim is to prepare the men to be able to promptly respond to any untoward situations and threats to the ships and bases,” he explained.
The FOC, who attributed the recent successful rescue of 22 crew members on board MV CHIMBA Express by NNS OSE to the frequent training exercises, expressed the command’s resolve to sustain the exercise to ensure its men are up to the task to respond to such emergencies whenever the need arose.
During the exercise, officers simulated various emergency scenarios, such as defence station, action, and emergency station drills involving the disruption and repelling of underwater saboteurs and man overboard drills.
Other drills conducted are medical evacuation, diving, plugging, and firefighting drills.
The scenarios were executed in a coordinated manner to assess response time, communication efficiency and command and control effectiveness.
The exercise drew participants from ships at VICTORY Jetty, a detachment of the Special Boat Service, NNS VICTORY Gunboat Squadron and Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, among others.
Nigerian Navy trains personnel to respond to harbour threats
