By Jonathan Ugbal: Government House Correspondent
The Nigerian Navy on Wednesday announced its plans to site the Naval War College in Cross River State.
The Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Victor Adedipe stated this when he paid a courtesy call on Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade in his office in Calabar where he disclosed that the state was chosen by the Naval Command which shows how important it is.
“The Naval board has decided to choose Cross River State as the host state for the Naval War College,” Rear Admiral Adedipe told Mr. Ayade and requested the state government takes the front seat in driving the process by relating to the host community to aid in the release of the land allocated for the war college.
He said the Course 1 had taken off in Rivers State but aims to ensure that the Course 2 will take off in the state as part of a personal target.
Mr. Adedipe who said he was in Cross River State for the fourth time in official capacity, earlier said that he had visited all units and promised to sustain the existing relationship between the Cross River State Government and the Nigerian Navy as well as other security agencies which he said he has interacted with, formally and informally.
Also, he commended Mr. Ayade for taking giant strides to industrialize the state.
In his remarks, Mr. Ayade promised to make the land available and solicited the Navy’s support for the deep seaport project through the provision of vessels to patrol the area which he said construction will begin in August.
He posited that no matter the level of industrialization, security remained very key and said the Navy will play a pivotal role to ensuring the security of the state’s capital city of Calabar and its environs which he said has 33 egress points via the waterways and just 1 on land.
He also made a case for the provision of more vessels to patrol the shallow Calabar Channel and lamented the inflation of casualties in security incidences in the state.