The Nigerian Navy has shown readiness to refurbish not less than six war ships belonging to Benin Republic for improved security around the Gulf Guinea.
The agreement for the repairs, which would be done at the Naval Dockyard Limited on Victoria Island in Lagos, was signed at the BRN Headquarters in Cotonou.
Speaking after the historic event, the Admiral Superintendent for NDL, Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, said it was a testament to the visionary leadership and dynamic ingenuity of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla, that the Nigerian Navy was able to seal the deal.
He said the warships – BNS Pendjari, BNS Oueme, BNS Alibori, BNS Zou, BNS Matelot Brice Kpomasse and BNS Couffo, departed Cotonou at the weekend for Lagos, adding that the repairs would be carried out within 10 months, according to The Nation.
The NDL boss explained that the naval yard was a strategic national asset and a force multiplier that handles the defence and maritime needs in the construction, maintenance, and repair of naval platforms.
He said talks about the repairs had been ongoing and Nigeria’s CNS, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla, approved the NDL to engage the Benin Republic Navy.
“Based on that, we have had series of visits, surveys, assessments and have done all sorts of analyses on these vessels with the view to working out modalities for carrying out the repairs.
“The Naval Dockyard will be playing a key role in the execution of this contract; all arrangements have been put in place for the project. Some of the ships will go to Nigeria on their own steam, as in, they will sail to Nigeria, and some will have to be brought to Nigeria by some other means and then all the repairs will take place at the Naval Dockyard,” he said.
