Vice Admiral Emmanuel I. Ogalla, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), was recently celebrated as a distinguished figure at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, during its 2024 Distinguished Personality Public Lecture.
In a statement released by the Director Of Naval Information Commodore A Adams- Aliu, it was stated that the event, attended by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Polycarp Chigbu, and other notable academics, also featured a lecture delivered by Ogalla titled “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Blue Economy Potentials.”
In his address, Vice Admiral Ogalla emphasized the immense economic value within Nigeria’s maritime domain. Notably, he highlighted Nigeria’s rich oil and gas reserves, estimated at 36 billion barrels of oil and 182 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, collectively valued at around $40 billion, with the potential to reach up to $120 billion if effectively managed.
To safeguard these resources, Ogalla detailed key strategies implemented by the Nigerian Navy (NN).They include
Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy (TSMS), which is a comprehensive approach to maritime protection, NN Trinity of Action,which encompasses Surveillance, Response Capability, and Law Enforcement to ensure security and deter illegal activities. Operational Responses, through the Navy’s “Operation Delta Sanity,” launched in January 2024, targets crude oil theft. This operation has already achieved significant results, seizing over 35 ships, arresting 65 suspects, and deactivating more than 827 illegal refining sites, preventing billions of naira worth of oil theft.
Vice Admiral Ogalla also identified challenges in prosecuting maritime crimes, urging for the establishment of Special Maritime Courts to ensure swift and effective justice.
The lecture was highly engaging, with Ogalla fielding questions from students. Reflecting on his personal journey, he shared that in 1987, he faced a choice between studying medicine at UNN or attending the Nigerian Defence Academy. His decision, guided by what he called “the hands of Providence,” eventually brought him back to Nsukka in this distinguished capacity.
