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Photo Credit: Nigerian Navy

The Nigerian Navy has formally inducted its pioneer Nigerian Navy Marines following the successful completion of the Basic Marines Qualifying Course 1 (BMQC 1), marking a major leap in the Service’s special operations capability. The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, Admiralty Medal, described the development as a strategic milestone under the Nigerian Navy Transformation Agenda, noting that the Marines—codenamed “Bushmen”—were established to function as a highly trained, mobile and versatile force capable of conducting expeditionary, amphibious and littoral operations in support of national security objectives.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, Armed Forces Medal, who attended the ceremony as Special Guest of Honour, hailed the induction as a decisive step in strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture. He emphasised that the creation of the Marines bridges critical operational gaps between land and sea, enhancing the Armed Forces’ ability to address complex and evolving threats across the Gulf of Guinea and inland theatres. Both the CDS and CNS underscored the importance of jointness, sustained inter-agency collaboration and international partnerships in consolidating the operational gains of the new force.