The Nigerian Navy has been given 100 hectares of land by Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun to establish a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the state.
This was said by Prince Abiodun when he paid Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff, a courtesy call in his Abuja office.
The governor said that the FOB would be located in the state’s Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.
According to him, the naval base will defend Nigeria’s sovereignty on Tongeji Island as well as a few strategically important investments.
He stated: “Ogun State has always had a long and fruitful relationship with the security apparatus of the nation and has been adjudged to be one of the most secured and peaceful states in Nigeria.
“As part of ongoing efforts towards deepening that relationship with members of the armed forces, I am happy to announce that Ogun State has allocated 100 hectares of land to the Nigerian Navy to build a Forward Operating Base in Ogun Waterside Local Government that will consist of a naval dockyard and a naval base.
“This base and dockyard will provide security for the investments coming into that area, including the proposed OK LNG project being spearheaded by NNPC Limited, the proposed Olokola Deep Sea Port, and will safeguard the sovereignty of Nigeria at Tongeji Island (part of Ipokia LG, Ogun State) and activities by NNPC Limited towards oil exploration, given the state’s frontier status as conferred by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.”
In response, the Chief of Naval Staff stated that although though he had inherited the project from his predecessor, he had accepted it when he took office due to its significance and intrinsic worth.
Vice Admiral Ogalla thanked the governor for the gesture and assured him that work will begin as soon as possible, as the budget for 2024 calls for it.
