By Kingsley Omonobi

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has charged personnel of the Nigerian Navy to remain professional in the discharge of their duties and remain committed to protecting the nation’s democracy.

The CNS who was represented by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Admiralty Integrated Farms Limited, Rear Admiral Julius Nwagu, gave the charge at the 2025 Second Quarter 10 kilometre Route March of Nigerian Navy formations on Saturday in Abuja.

He said the route march was organised as a show of force to prepare personnel to be mentally and physically fit and to show to Nigerians that the Navy and other military services were all out to support democracy.

He said, “This exercise is aimed at developing personnel physical and mental alertness to meet the dynamics of contemporary security operations as well as fostering esprit de corps and providing an avenue for relaxation.

“I enjoin you to be more professional in the conduct of your duties and daily activities.

“Furthermore, I encourage you not to engage in any act of misdemeanor or take laws into your hands that could bring the service into disrepute in the course of your duty.

“I also charge you all to show dedication to duty and unflinching support to our democracy and constituted authority”.

The CNS pledged his commitment to continue to support the personnel by providing all the required needs to function optimally in the area of their responsibilities.

He said, “It is worthy of mention that, the Nigeria navy is primarily responsible for the protection of the nation’s maritime domain and also a major contributor to the Gulf of Guinea maritime security arrangement as well as a major participant in internal security duties all over the country.

He reiterated that this has made it imperative for the personnel to be mentally and physically fit at all times noting, “The exercise and physical training remains the bedrocks of naval personnel daily mental and physical readiness for sea shore and ashore duties.

“It is pertinent to state that the commitment of the Nigeria navy toward enhancing mental and physical fitness has yielded divided as witnessed with the sterling contributions of the Nigerian navy schedu national security, peace and prosperity.

“It is in recognition of this fact and desire of the service to keep the personnel physically fit that the route march amongst other physical fitness exercises are sustained in the navy schedule of events.

“As you are aware, the Nigerian navy has just concluded Operation Obangame Express.

“The exercise was aimed at partnering with regional and global maritime state holders on the security of maritime domain awareness of littoral states within the Africa continent”.

A medical personnel, Navy Lieutenant (Dr) Daniel Etim disclosed that, “Considering the preponderance of such diseases like hypertension, diabetes and mental health challenges, the Route March was very important to achieving physical, healthy and mental fitness.