Hue and cry generated by Nigerian Navy’s decision to locate a logistics base in Kano is better appreciated if we look at all the Nigeria Navy bases scattered across the country:
1] Nigeria Navy HQ, Abuja
2] Western Naval Command HQ, Lagos
3] Eastern Naval Command HQ, Calabar
4] Central Naval Command HQ, Yenagoa.
5] Naval Training Command, Lagos
6] Logistics Command, Oghara.
Under Naval Training Command there are many bases including:
7] Nigerian Navy Ship [NNS] Quorra, Lagos
8] Nigerian Navy Centre for Education and Training Technology [NNCETT], Lagos
9] Joint Maritime Security Training Centre, Lagos
10] Nigerian Navy School of Armament Technology, Kachia, Kaduna State
11] Nigerian Navy College of Health Sciences, Offa, Kwara State
12]Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College, Owerrinta, Abia State
13] Nigerian Navy Hydrographic School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
14] Nigerian Navy Communication and Information School, Ile-Ife, Osun State. [Proposed, with the structures already in place].
15] Command Naval Drafting, Lokoja, Kogi State [relocated there in January 2019].
16] Nigerian Navy School of Music, Ota, Ogun State [since July 1991].
16] Nigerian Navy Provost and Regulating School, Makurdi, Benue State.
17] Naval Base Lake Chad, Baga, Borno State.
New bases recently approved by Navy Board:
18] Nigerian Navy Base, Lekki, Lagos State
19] Nigerian Navy Base, Oguta, Imo State
20] Nigerian Navy Logistics College, Kano.
21] Nigerian Navy Finance College, Owerrinta, Abia State.
In addition to primary duties and facilities, Naval bases have hostel accommodation for staff and students, hospitals or medical centres, primary and secondary schools for wards of the personnel and people in the environs; naval units such as Naval police and Naval Intelligence, and sometimes training ground for Naval Special Forces as well.
It can be seen that many Naval facilities are located inland, far away from the sea. In fact, many land-locked countries in the world have navies despite their lack of access to the sea. They include:
1]Azerbaijan
2] Bolivia
3] Central African Republic
4] Kazakhstan
5] Turkmenistan
6] Laos
7] Paraguay
8] Rwanda
9] Uganda.
The US Navy has many inland naval bases, including:
A] Naval Construction Battalion Centre, in Mississippi
B] Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada
C] Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic Detachment, LaMoure, North Dakota
D] Navy Information Operations Command, Sugar Grove, West Virginia.
In the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Ship [HMS] DRYAD and HMS COLLINGWOOD are located on dry land.
Germany’s Logistikschule der Bundeswehr [Logistics School of the German Armed Forces] is located in Garlstedt, an inland city.
Naval personnel are involved in joint security operations with other armed and paramilitary services all over the country, hence the need for scattered bases. No absurdity is involved here. Please, let us move on to another national controversy.
