Chief Of The Naval Staff Visits The Governor Of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu

Chief Of The Naval Staff Visits The Governor Of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu

On Wednesday, 7 January 2026, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal), paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, at the Government House, Calabar.

In his remarks, the CNS thanked the Governor for receiving him at short notice and explained that he was on a tour of Naval bases and units in the state; however, it was imperative that he first paid a courtesy visit to the Governor, who is the Chief Security Officer of the State. The CNS also acknowledged the focused and visionary leadership of Governor Otu, noting that the infrastructural developments and positive changes in the state were remarkable and evident for all to see. The CNS informed the Governor that circa 2020, he served in Calabar as the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship VICTORY, hence he was familiar with the area. Finally, the CNS thanked the Governor for trusting the Nigerian Navy (NN) to undertake hydrographic surveys of the Calabar Channel, which have been successfully completed. He also requested for the state’s intervention in tackling gully erosion in some NN barracks and units.

The Governor responded by congratulating the CNS on his appointment, stating that the current security challenges facing the nation require the Armed Forces to be very proactive. He went on to thank the CNS for the efforts of the NN commanders in the state, which have led to improved maritime security. He also commended the CNS’ Vision, which prioritises synergy with other security agencies, noting that such collaboration has helped to keep Cross River State peaceful. Furthermore, he expressed appreciation for the work carried out by the NN in charting the Calabar Channel. Finally, Governor Otu acknowledged that the NN and Cross River State have long-standing historical antecedents in the maritime security of the nation, adding that more could still be done.

The CNS was accompanied by the Chief of Administration, Rear Admiral JN Mamman; the Chief of Logistics, Rear Admiral SH Abdullahi; the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral CD Okehie; and the Director Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation, Rear Admiral MY Dahiru.