• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Nigernian Navy History Phase I: 1956-1970

• 01 Jun 56 The Naval Force commenced operation with 11 Assorted Ships and Crafts
• 03 Aug 56 The first Nigerian Navy Ordnance was assented to by Sir James Wilson Robertson, Governor-General and C-IN-C (Ordnance no28 of I956)
• 01 Nov 57 Her Majesty Nigerian Naval Ship QUORRA became the Royal Nigerian Navy’s first training school for Basic and Divisional (B&D) training
• 01 May 58 The Nigerian Navy was formerly and legally established as a “Force” in accordance with the Nigerian Navy ordnance of 1956
• 21 Jun 59 HMS HARE was transferred by Royal Navy to the Nigerian Navy and renamed HMNS NIGERIA
• 30 Sep 60 Ordinary Seaman Salawuddeen Akano of the Nigerian navy (Later became Commodore and now deceased) lowered the Union Jack to symbolize the end of British Colonial Rule in Nigeria and later hoisted the Green – White – Green flag to mark Nigeria’s independence on 01 Oct 60.
• 21 Sep 65 NNS OBUMA (EX NIGERIA) first commissioned.
• 26 Jul 67 Bonny landing as first naval operation during the Civil War.
• Sep 67 Amphibious operation to capture the riverine part of Warri, Koko and Sapele
• Nov 67 Amphibious landing of 3rd Marine Commando at Oron, beachland.
• 05 Jan 68 Timely arrival of NNS OBUMA at Bunny resulting in reversal of an ugly situation in the War effort
• 27 Sep 69 NND Victoria Island (formerly Elder Dempster Line Shipyard) was formally declared open by Colonel (retired as Brigadier) Mobolaji Johnson, the then Lagos State Military Governor

The origin of the Nigerian Navy could be traced to the colonial marine Department of the Royal Navy. This Department was established in 1887 as a quasi-military organization combining the duties of the present day Nigerian Ports Authority, the Inland Water Ways and the modern day Navy. Elements of the Marine Department took part in military operations against the Germans in Cameroun during the First World War between 1914–1918. However, the colonial administration did not consider it necessary to establish a proper navy, as they considered it the duty of the Royal Navy to give naval protection to Nigeria and that the Maritime Department was adequate to look after security of the ports and coastal approaches as well as provide harbour services for Royal Navy ships on West African patrols. This was the situation until the end of the Second World War in 1945.

After the war, the colonial administration preferred that emphasis be placed on port-related duties for Marine Department. A proposal was then made to establish the Nigerian Ports Authority. The officers of the Marine Department who were Royal Navy Reserve officers did not give up on the idea of a navy and continue to press for the establishment of a naval force. For instance, Captain Skutil, who was the first officer to head the Nigerian Navy Defence Force (NNDF) from 1956, was known to be a very strong believer in a Nigerian Navy. The late Rear Admiral Nelson Soroh, a one time Chief of the Naval Staff, said of Captain Skutil: “But for his enthusiasm, the NN would not have been established.” Their efforts eventually led to the 1956 policy statement by the Government for the establishment of a Nigerian Naval Force (Sessional paper No.6 of 1956).

The approval of a Session Paper Number 6 to establish a Naval Force on 1 June 1956 gave rise to the secondment of 9 ships and craft to the New Naval Force by the Royal Navy (RN). The ships were: a survey ship (PATHFINDER), sea-going survey launch (PETREL), customs preventive patrol boat (CHALLENGER) and the Governor-General's yatch (VALIANT) which later became an afloat restaurant along Marina. Otherswere the Governor-General's barge (FRANCES), Dockyard Tug (TROJAN), General purpose launch (JADE), Training boat (DIGNITY) andTraining boat (NYMPH).

By 1 August 1956 the first naval legislation was passed by the House of Representatives, assented to on 5 September 1956 by Sir James Robertson and known as Nigerian Navy Ordinance. The ordinance provided for the naval defence of Nigeria within its territorial waters, hydrographic survey to the extent that the Government of the Federation may require, maintenance of the custom laws of Nigeria, training inmaritime, and naval duties. As inadequate as it was in 1956, the Nigerian Navy Ordinance formed the origin of the role and force structure of the Navy. The naval force was expected to limit its activities within the territorial waters of 3 nautical miles as at then, based on the presumption that the Royal Navy would under-write the defence of Nigeria in the event of external aggression.

In 1964, a new seaward Defence Boat (SDB), NNS ENUGU, was ordered for the Navy. By the end of 1964 the Nigerian Navy ships consisted of old ex-Royal Naval Ships and NNS OGOJA which was also an old ex-US Naval patrol boat, handed to Nigerian Navy by the Royal Dutch Navy as a part of the procurement package of Nigerian Navy's first frigate NNS NIGERIA (Now NNS OBUMA) on order from a Dutch shipyard in 1964. Other ships procured during this period were KADUNA, IBADAN II, BENIN, ENUGU, while EKPEN, ELEOLE and EKUN joined the fleet from Russia in 1968. These ships were those that fought the civil war.

The naval operations during the period 1956-1970 were anti-smuggling patrol, sea blockade before the Nigerian civil war and amphibious landing interdiction and sea control operations during the civil war. For instance following the failure of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria to a reach a consensus with the Biafra secessionist during the Aburi Talk in Ghana by January 1967, the Federal Government ordered a sea blockade on the eastern part of the country. The Nigerian Navy enforced the order to prevent further importation of large scale arms to the Biafran secessionists. The effective blockade of the Atlantic seaboard made it impossible for large-scale importation of much-needed arms and ammunition to reach the secessionists. This action placed the FGN at advantage position when war finally broke out later in 1967.

During the war, the Bonny landing of July 1967 was hailed as the first such operation by any Third World country. This was followed by the Delta Ports Amphibious Operations in September 1967 to recapture the riverside ports of Warri, Koko and Sapele from the Biafrans. Another major operation was mounted to liberate Calabar by November 1967, followed by the amphibious landing of the 3 Marine Commandos at a beachhead in Oron to capture the mainland of Cross River State.

The natureof naval operations at this period, were mainly anti-smuggling patrol, sea blockade before the civil war, and Amphibious Landing Operations duringthe war. In terms of the technological environment during the period 1956-1970, the ships were not sophisticated in terms of engine configuration and their weapons fit were manually operated. The Nigerian Navy technical personnel trained in the UK and acquired the necessary technological training for maintenance. There were slipways, workshop facilities and well-stocked spare parts stores at the Naval Base in Lagos to support maintenance. Besides, foreign technical expertise covering planning and execution of maintenance activities were readily provided by the British before the Nigerian Civil War and the Russians during the war. Nationally, the technological environment was equally underdeveloped.

The period witnessed smooth operational activities as Nigeria relied on British technology and expertise. Even though operational activities were smooth, the technology was foreign and there was virtually no need to talk of weapon sophistication. The technology employed at that time was commensurate to the type of ship and weapons fitted onboard which had little or no automation. Technological training in engineering were only for maintenance of ships and its auxiliaries.

The operations of the Nigerian Navy during the period 1956-1970 though limited in scope, was conducted in an under-developed environment within the Navy and nation. This situation did not affect the operations of the Nigerian Navy as foreign technical expertise was available to take care of most of the problems.