Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral D.J. Ezeoba (right)
NIGERIAN NAVY DIRECTORATE OF INFO
2014-01-03
The Chief of the Naval Staff has approved the appointment of 266 officers. The appointments released today (Friday 3 January 2014) affected 20 Rear Admirals, 97 Commodores, 99 Captains, 4 Lieutenant Commanders, 44 Lieutenants and 2 Sub Lieutenants.
The Rear Admirals affected in the exercise are Rear Admiral AOA Ikioda, who moves from National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies to Defence Headquarters as Director of Equipment, Standardisation and Harmonisation, Rear Admiral JO Aikhomu, formerly Flag Officer
Commanding Eastern Naval Command is now appointed Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters and Rear Admiral IE Ibas, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, is now the Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.
Rear Admiral IA Oyagha who was Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, is reporting to Defence Headquarters as Director of Development. Also appointed is former Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral AI Ajuonu who moves to Defence Headquarters as Director of Sports.
Rear Admiral DO Osuofa has been appointed as a Moderator at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, while Rear Admiral SU Chinweuba is to move to Naval Headquarters as Chief of Naval Engineering. Rear Admiral SI Alade who was Deputy Commandant at Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, is reporting at Western Naval Command as Flag Officer Commanding. Rear Admiral AA Yusuf has also been appointed Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Engineering, College Sapele and Rear Admiral OP Ozojiofor is now the Navy Secretary.
Furthermore, Rear Admiral LON Iwuoha is appointed Director of Logistics, Defence Intelligence Agency and Rear Admiral HO Ngonadi, former Navy Secretary is now the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command. Rear Admiral HH Babalola moves to Naval Headquarters as Director of Nigerian Navy Transformation Office.
Other appointments include Rear Admiral AA Osinowo who becomes the new Chief of Training and Operations, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral OC Medani, Director of Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate and Rear Admiral JO Okojie, Director of Policy, Naval Headquarters.
Rear Admirals JO Oluwole and FD Bobai have also been appointed as Chief Staff Officers at Eastern Naval Command and Naval Training Command, respectively. Rear Admiral AO Odeh retains his position as Commander Fleet Support Group Central Naval Command and Rear Admiral SU Ahmadu is Director of Navy Accounts, in addition to his duties as Commander Central Pay Office.
Beegeagle's Blog 
All these high ranking officers commanding no ships, no submarines.
NN has to step up the pace, they are doing better than their sister services, but they are still very incapable of carring out it’s constitutional duties.
We have two choices here, maybe 3. Spend billions like algeria and morocco in acquiring the likes of the FREMM destroyers and kilo submarines.
Act like bandladesh and the Philippines, and acquire used ships, then upgrade them, or be like Pakistan and do a little bit of both.
Our budding ship building efforts are great, but we are playing catch up, and just can’t wait till we can build everything we need.
Let’s acquire as many capital ships as possible, and put these proud well trained officers to work.
I agree with the sentiment stated about having more ships, although the senior officers listed wouldn’t be in command of river/sea/ocean going vessels anyway. They have been appointed to where senior officers should go.
The Royal Navy is having the same kind of criticism because of the cuts to their armed forces and have more Admirals than ships and there was even a joke going round that they have more generals than MBTs in the British Army at the moment.
Anyway, Gods speed to the navy in their procurement/manufacturing process. Onward Together.
Yeah guys don’t worry, angolan is about to teach Nigeria how to spend your oil money on military hardware.
Angola is oil rich like nigeria, the leadership is corrupt like that in Nigeria.
So can someone enlighten me on how angola can see and take advantage of spain’s cash strapped situation, and nigeria with all these admirals cannot.
The angolans are getting the harrier carrier, a tank landing ship and a couple of covert sized ships.
They just acquired 3 opvs for “fishery protection”.
They have been in negotiations for 4 german FACs, and I think they are just getting warmed up.
We have discussed used ship deals , the ease in acquisition, and the affordability to nigera at nauseum on this blog.
Yet our armed forces and our thousand generals don’t see an opportunity to be had.
Usually it’s pakistan, Bangladesh or the Philippines beating us to deals.
Now, naval neophyte angola has joined the list, and beat us back to back with the SU-30K deal, and now this spanish naval deal.
I think our top brass is completely asleep at the wheel in all our headquarters.
These are the kind of issues, they should be preoccupied with.
Or maybe they are content in riding a desk after the nation has invested millions of naira training them.
Just saying.
Meant to say , ad nauseum.
@ Oga Doziex, I don’t think Angola is beating us to these deals. Nigerian Admirals don’t appear to even to be looking at these deals.
Nigeria obviously has it’s road map set out and we don’t know entirely what it all entails, though the 10 year naval plan gave a glimpse of what to expect.
It looks like in-country manufacturing is what is at the forefront at the moment and no matter how logical we think the procurement of SU-30/35 fighters would be, it won’t happen as things stand. We haven’t got the know-how at this stage to maintain them anyway, although of course it can be developed over time.
The best to hope for is the JF-17 block II onwards, in both air force and naval variants (when/if developed) and also with air to air refuelling capabilities to extend range.
Oga rka, if we can’t maintain the sukhois, then we can’t maintain the yf-17s aka the FC-1.
The same ukrainian firm that keeps or mi-24/35s flying, could also handle any sukhoi contract.
However, Madam Okonjo is not even willing to pay on schedule for our chinese covert, the first of the navy’s so called 10 yr acquisition plan.
May be the chinese will hold the ship as long as they held the F-7s ordered by OBJ, but wasn’t delivered for 6 yrs or so.
So second hand ships with upgrades is simply what the doctor ordered for spending shy nigeria.
That’s why our naval brass and our armed forces in it’s entirety must get seriously into the second hand military hardware business.
The SU30/35s are a different kettle of fish maintainance wise to the Mi-24/35s and I doubt the that Belorussian team can maintain them, although happy to be proved wrong
At least we are in co-operation with the Pakistanis maintenance wise as with the F-7s and would give us the easiest route into the highly complex world of aircraft maintenance. That was my thinking.
I do agree though that our top brass in the navy and across the board should ramp up procurement.
@Oga rka, i totally agree with you. It’s clear that we have a new defence policy which is derived through thorough analysis of the current and foreseeable threats both internal and external. Our armed forces have learnt a big lessons from the sanction years and the Jaguar jet debacle. We now understand that the new defence policy targets corporation with countries like Pakistan and China, technology transfer, in-country manufacturing and maintenance. The 2 OPVs and F7 deals and the A-jet maintenance project come to mind.
My ogas, it’s clear we are not going to see any SU30 jet over our skies any time soon. They are very expensive to maintain and it’s not our priority to get such a jet now. We are likely to get the JF-17 which we can maintain in-house with help of the Pakis. Again, we are not going to see big purchases just because Angola, Uganda and someone else are arming up since we don’t see any threat against us.
Beegeagle has opined on our need for the sukhoi 27/30 series at least 3 times a week for like 2 years straight.
We dont need these planes, just because country XYZ got them. We need them cause their capabilities solve our needs the most.
And oga igbi clarified the other day, when we say that uganda has the jets, we are simply saying, what is it uganda can afford that we can’t.
Why are folks pretending that nigeria has the most fiscally responsible leaders ?
Aren’t these baggers the highest paid politicians anywhere in the world ?
When it comes to assigning themselves all manner of larghese at the people’s expense, they are game.
When we mention military spending, then they commence with the grammer.
Most politicians are at least nationalistic, if not patriotic. That explains why the likes of Dos Santos can be both corrupt, and generous to his military.
In nigeria, these politicians, are only loyal to their stomachs.
Ogas, it is the way it is, even if we don’t necessarily like it o! lol.
I will be quite amused if indeed Angola go ahead to purcahse the retired Spanish Aircraft carrier. For one they don’t have a history or record of operating smaller ocean going ships like frigates, corvettes or OPVs. Secondly the numerical strenght of their navy is so small that unless they are going to recruit mecernaires to man the carrier, I don’t see how they are going to operate it. Thirdly, a Carrier operates as part of a batllegroup with subs, frigates and destroyers forming a protective screen and replenishment vessels also in tow. I don’t see Angola getting that capacity anytime soon. Then there is the question of where the ship wll be bertherd. Do the Angolans have a naval base equipped to handle such a vessel? Then lets not forget that aircraft *harriers’/helicopters will have to be purchased- and finally the running costs involved. The only good thing to come out of this purchase if true is that it will shake our Defence establishment out of its complacency. Having said that I fully subscribe to the view that any defence equipment purchased (be it a ship, rotary/fixed wing aricraft or millitary vehicle/tank or weapons systemetc MUST BE CAPABLE of being maintained here in Nigeria- period. Going off on a tangent, what happened to the CAF’s assertion that the NAF would purchase a second Boeing 737 as part of its airlifft capabilities?
Angola’s carrier purchase, may be a bit of a leap too far, but being from do nothing nigeria, I aappreciate the effort.
Besides, they would most likely use it as a helicopter carrier in support of amphibious landings.
Or in sea lane protection, the likes that is badly needed in nigeria.
Last year, angola sent a fairly large expeditionary force to stabilize guinea bissau. This carrier, would make such operations more doable.
Finally, the ship doesn’t need all that many escort ships, what is there in africa to stop it, NNS Thunder ?
Dear Sirs, There seems to be a wrong impression that that a carrier must only be operated based on Neo-Western Naval doctrines (part of battle groups, serving as a command center protected by Subs and frigates….) This is not true. Soviet Naval doctrine concerning carriers are quite different, unlike Western carriers, soviet carriers are heavily armed with dozen of cruise missiles, long range anti-aircraft missiles, several CIWS ,torpedoes and very effective long range radars and sonars. Admiral Kuznetsov carries over 240 assorted missiles with 8 CIWS station whereas Nimitz class are nearly twice has big and carries less than 40 missile in total!
They are self-contained and can operate independently-although they still often operate as part of a task group but not always, unlike the Americans. The set back of this doctrine is heavy maintenance cost, lengthy down times (having to return to dock to fix or maintain one subsystem or the other) and viability of this doctrine has been repeatedly questioned. The Chinese seems to have adopted this doctrine (unconfirmed).
Back to Angola case, Angola’s acquisition of a carrier will definitely not be for power projection. It’s more likely going to be for the purpose of having a movable maritime patrol platform- which is not a bad idea and would be very effective. Moreso, Angola does not really have any enemy that might seek to attack the carrier, so they really don’t need that much protection than they need for a regular ship for it. Angolan naval policy makers are not short sighted, if they will procure the ship, the deal will probably come with training for several dozens of sailors months ahead of delivery, spares and probably a few years maintenance contract. They might even sign on for joint operation with Spanish navy. All complicated C4ISR system would probably be stripped and they would probably operate a mix of maritime Helix and other maritime patrol crafts. With less than $70m they can get a Chinese contractor to build a docking facility that would be of use forever. We should also keep in mind that they only things any country needs to build capacity are just funds, a strong will and a consistent doctrine-Ask these countries: Algeria operated Submarines, Thailand has a helix carrier and Myanmar even manufactures Frigates!
Solorex, a carrier needs a group to protect it. The frigates serve as air defence/ ASW pickets.
It is a big, slow, massive target. Once it launches its aircraft it needs to stay within range to recover them in other words its fixed.
The Western carrier model I would suggest is more relevant that any Soviet doctrine as the Soviets never used their carriers operationally
If you deploy a carrier by itself it will be sunk.
By who though, NNS Thunder ?
There simply isn’t much in the neighborhood to worry about.
Now if angola was worried about extra regional threats, then they would need to come correct.
Nigeria is not going to enter any conflict with its neighbours as far as I am concerned for now, Why should we purchase weapons just because our neighbours has done so ? I don’t think our military chiefs are that stupid, you purchase based on what is given to you and what are your immediate priorities.
I agree we need high performance multi-role jet fighters but what is more pressing ? I think our threat lies in the sea surrounding us and the desert up north, the threat is very real and devastating.
Our attention should be as follows
1. More OPV’s and Frigates(x4)
2. Shaldag x 6
3. Attack Helicopter x 6
4. Transport Helicopter x 6
5. Tucano x 10
6. L-15 x 10
This is my wish list which I think should be what are defence brats could consider, our thinking should change, BH has metamorphosed into something very deadly so why buy weapons that we cannot use to fight and beat an enemy ?
Once this phase is concluded then we progress to the next phase.
Lets forget about Angola, Algeria, Ethiopia and South Africa they are not our problem -BH, Piracy,Sea Robbery,Militancy and Kidnapping are now our immediate threat as a country so how do we counter them ? what do we need in terms of materials and resources to counter them
nobody said that the reason we should equip our armed forces is because other states are equipping theirs (which by the way is a good enough reason). It is because the threat is much bigger than boko haram and we have a huge economy to protect. perhaps you should ask yourself which country is paying the bills for boko haram.
my guess would be: either qatar or saudi arabia or iran. All those countries are very well equiped military wise. What if they get tired that their boko boys are not able to achieve their goals and decide to go after us with their armed forces ?
What I want to tell you is that if we want peace and security then we need to equip as a deterrence to trouble makers and as a necessary security measure.
Let me give you a list of people who as well do not want Nigeria to equip:
1) Those who are preparing to break Nigeria
2) Nigerian neighbors who despise Nigeria
3) mercenaries who often wreak havoc in Nigeria
4) boko haram
5) mend
6) everyone who wants Nigeria to fail.
7) those who have a wrong assessment of the situation
So why would someone advocate for his own country to not equip ?
What we are asking for is that our armed forces be equipped in order to be able to face any current and “future” threat. We can no longer be so shortsighted as to believe that we will never face any other threat than terrorism. And when the war starts, there will be no more time left to equip. That is why we are asking for Nigeria to equip its armed forces. I hope you want Nigeria to stay united forever, and if you do then you should know that 2015 is coming. So we need to procure for the military and fast.
Thank you for this well thought out analysis. You echoed my sentiments exactly. Our political appointees have secretly caught the bug of internal geo-political rivalry. So while our collective aspirations maye be for a strong well defended nation state, it would seem factions in government are thinking more selfishly and divisively so good luck to Nigeria.
I think I am beginning to understand why there is a drive to deny procurement of weapons to the NA. It is probably about 2015, I think many people want the NA as weak as possible when we reach 2015. Need I say more ?
I urge the government to start really equipping the armed forces because, by 2015 Nigeria is going to be attacked. Just imagine the Syrian quagmire, but this time in Nigeria.
Please equip.
A country as big as Nigeria in terms of population, human resources and natural resources needs a befitting military to match. I would suggest 2 destroyers (Annapolis class), 3 frigates (Perry class),
3 submarines (Ohio class) and (since Angola has dared to try) 1 Carrier (Essex class) which might cost us our entire national budget. I further propose that we increase our present naval strength to 30,000 and add a marine/commando brigade. This would truly make NN a blue water force. Unrivalled from the cape of good Hope to the straits of Gibraltar.
My brother ugobassey, 1st of all, welcome 2 this blog, I hope we can exchange ideas on how 2 advance our country on the security plane!
we keep real here as we know that quite some major league players pay attention 2 this blog. U know that the ohio class is a SSBN and the mainstay of the US nuclear policy! The Annapolis is a 60s era DDG retired in the 90s, the essex class CVA has been decommissioned after an illustrious service and the capacity and complexity of that vessel is something we don’t need! As for the perry, if u scavenge last years posts, u will come across arguments for and against it! I hope I’ve been helpful, cheers!
Oga Ifiok, Thanks for welcoming me so warmly to the blog. I will defer to you concerning the pros and cons of the platforms I listed but my overall point being that its time we truly go blue water. As the largest black nation in the world, we are the China of Africa or the US of the western world.
I couldn’t agree more! However, the navy plan stated a step by step approach, 1st brown water, next green water(where we currently are) then blue water! I pray we get 2 blue water soonest but we get our coastline secure 1st! Cheers