EARLY HISTORY OF THE NIGERIAN NAVY
In 1887, the Colonial Government of Nigeria established the Lagos Marine as a quasi-military organization combining the duties of present day Nigeria Ports Authority, the Inland Waterways and the maritime policing duties of modern day Navy. The Lagos Marine became a part of the Southern Nigeria Marine in 1893 and by 1900 the Northern Nigeria Marine was also established.

With the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Nigeria in 1914, the marine departments became the Nigeria Marine.  Elements of the Marine Department took part in military actions against the Germans in the Cameroons during the First World War.

The Marine Department was a multi-function organization charged with the responsibility of looking after buoys and lighthouses, dredging, ferry service, and pilotage.These are roles of the present day NPA.      In addition to those roles however, the Marine Department was made to carry out naval function like port examination, minesweeping and looking after security at the port.

All along, the colonial administration did not consider it necessary to establish a proper Navy.  This was because they considered it the duty of the Royal Navy to give naval protection to Nigeria and that the Marine Department was adequate to look after security of the ports and coastal approaches as well as provision for Royal Navy warships whenever they called on West African Patrols.  This was the situation before the end of the Second World War.

After the War the colonial administration seemed to prefer that more emphasis be shifted to port control related duties.  A proposal was then made to establish the Nigerian Ports Authority.  The officers of the Marine Department who were Royal Navy Reserve officers continued to press for the establishment of a naval force. 

This was the situation when on 01 April 1955 the Nigerian Ports Authority commenced operations with 25 ex-Marine officers and 200 men seconded into it.

However, it is on record that the expatriate officers of the defunct Marine Department who, as we have noted, were mostly Royal Navy Reserve Officers with naval orientations and traditions, preferred the establishment of a proper Navy as opposed to a “civilianized” organization like the NPA.  They pressed harder for the establishment of a naval force.  Notable among them was Captain F W J Skutil, the last Director of the Marine Department and the first expatriate to head the Navy when it was finally formed.  The ex-Royal Navy officers smarted under what they regarded as the humiliating take-over of the Marine Port by the NPA.  As Captain Skutil, a diligent diarist, entered in his log-book:

“… the fatal 1st April 1955 came around, and by virtue of the Port Ordinance 1954, all officers and men of the Nigerian Marine were seconded to the Nigerian Ports Authority.  Old Marine Headquarters last its dignity and was invaded by Stores Manager, Traffic Assistance…”

These officers continued to mount pressure on the colonial administration to establish a “military type” naval organization.  Their efforts eventually led to the 1956 “Statement of Policy by the Government for the Establishment of the Nigerian Naval Force”  (Sessional Paper No. 6 of 1956).  It was laid before the House of Representatives on 26 March 1956 and approved.

With the approval of the Sessional Paper No. 6 to establish a Naval Force, the secondment of most of those ex-marines seconded into the NPA was reversed.  Thus on 01 June 1956, the Naval Force commenced operations, with eleven assorted ships and craft as follows:

On 01 August 1956, the first naval legislation was passed by the House of Representatives, assented to on 05 September 1956 by Sir James Robertson and known as Nigerian Navy Ordinance.  The Ordinance provided for the following roles for the Naval Force:

The Changing Roles of the Navy:
As inadequate as it was, the 1956 Nigerian Navy Ordinance formed the origin of the roles and force structure of the present day Navy.  It would appear that the Naval Force was expected to limit its activities to its territorial waters, which was only three nautical miles from the coastline, according to the prevalent convention then.  The presumption was that the Royal Navy would underwrite the naval defence of Nigeria in the event of external aggression. 

Nationalists Opted for a Virile Navy

Some Nigerian members of the colonial House of Representatives in debating the 1956 Naval Force Bill, strongly advocated the establishment of what they called a “real Navy.” Malam Maitama Sule (Kano Urban Area) said he would like Nigeria to have: “a Navy which we can be justifiably proud and which is worthy of this great country.” 

In his own contribution Mr L L Lakunle (Oyo North) advocated that “if we must have a Nigerian Navy, I would like us to have something along the patterns of the British Navy…” and Mr T A Ajayi (Ekiti North) regarded it as ridiculous that “we are going to have a token Navy which is capable of plying on our lagoon and River Ogun and no more!”

Ever since those Colonial days the people of Nigeria have perceived the need for a strong Navy capable of protection their maritime interest and defence of our country against external aggression.

With this background it was not surprising that the post independence 1964 Navy Act in its Section 1, sub-section 2(a) provides for “the naval defence of Nigeria.” This Act thus removed the limitation of the Nigerian Navy to the country’s territorial waters.  The full provisions of the roles of the Navy according to the 1964 Navy Act are as follows:

Apart from a new Seaward Defence Boat (SDB), NNS ENUGU, ordered new for the Navy in 1960 and which sailed into the country in 1962,  Nigerian Naval Ships by the end of 1964 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.  By December of 1964 the ships of the Navy were as listed in the box.

All the ships of the Navy by 1964 were based in Apapa from where ships deployed to the Calabar Naval Base from time to time on temporary basis for what was known as eastern patrol.  This situation was to continue with some modifications until January 1982 when the Nigerian Naval Flotilla was split into Western Fleet with headquarters as Apapa and Eastern Fleet based in Calabar.

In addition to the acquisition of NNS NIGERIA,  a multi-purpose frigate which joined the fleet in 1965, the Nigerian Navy acquired three additional old Seaward Defence Boats (SDBs) namely NNS BENIN, NNS IBADAN II* and NNS KADUNA from Vickers Shipyard in the UK on 01 July 1966.  These boats were of the same class as NNS ENUGU and they formed the SDB Squadron, which were the back-bone of the Nigerian Navy fleet that fought the civil war.

Apart from the acquisition of NNS OBUMA (then NIGERIA) therefore, there was no acquisition of any sophisticated ship until the 28 March 1968 when the two Mark 3 Corvettes, NNS DORINA and NNS OTOBO were ordered.  They both entered the Service in 1973.  Their order marked the beginning of mordernising the Nigerian Naval Fleet.

One may also note the acquisition of three ex-Soviet wooden patrol boats, NNS EKPE(N), NNS EKUN, and NNS ELOLE which joining the fleet about February 1968 and performed creditability during the war.  Lack of spare parts hampered their continued operation in the Service after the war.

The first operation conducted by the Navy before the various amphibious operations was the continuous policing of the Nigerian water after the abortive Aburi Talk of January 1967.  The naval operation started at that time to enforce the Federal Military Government order banning shipping in the Eastern part of the country.

The scope of the patrol area was also increased.  Thus effective blockade of the Atlantic seaboard made it impossible for large-scale importation of much-needed arms and ammunition to reach the secessionists.

Also worthy of note are the various amphibious landings.  The Bonny landing of July 1967 was hailed as the first of such operation by any Third World country.  This was followed by the Delta Ports amphibious operations about mid September 1967 to recapture the riverine 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 3rd Marine Commandos at a beach-head in Oron to capture the mainland of Cross River State.

Besides the joint amphibious operations, naval ships, especially NNS NIGERIA (Now OBUMA) provided much needed logistics support by shipping arms and ammunition, casualty evacuation and carrying of troops for reinforcement.  For instance when the situation at Bonny became very critical, it was the timely arrival of NNS NIGERIA with troops reinforcement of 05 January 1968 that saved an ugly situation for the Federal side.

One of the lessons that came out strongly was that no coastal state can ignore the importance of a strong and well-equipped Navy both in terms of fighting external aggression and in giving aids to civil authorities in case of internal threats and natural disasters.

Secondly, the Navy realized the need to acquire bigger ships with greater endurance and better weapons systems and communication equipment.  It was also clear during the war that the three Services must train together as much as possible especially in amphibious operations.  They must also ensure standardization of equipment to ensure better command and control.

Finally, the need to have effective capability for local maintenance of our ships with provision of adequate spare parts well stocked, in view of our inability yet to manufacture them locally, became and important lesson of war to bear in mind.

The end of the civil war coincided with increase in more revenue accruing to the Federal Government from the sale of crude oil.  The country also started playing more important leadership roles in African affairs, which called into, play all the capabilities, economic, diplomatic and military, which she could muster.  It became necessary for the Navy to plan for acquisition of ships which will have enough capabilities to show credible and impressive presence in the West African sub region especially, and to protect its offshore resources in as comprehensive way as possible. 

From the humble beginning as a purely coastal Navy, the Nigerian Navy has today grew into a blue water Navy having modern, missile-ready frigates such as NNS ARADU, corvettes, fast attack craft and many patrol craft for effective policing duties.

Additions to the fleet were also two mine countermeasure ships and two amphibious ships (LSTs) NNS AMBE and NNS OFIOM.

Over the years also, naval bases which are vital for its operation and training have been developed at Apapa in1961 followed by Naval Base Calabar. and by 1975 a Naval Base had been opened at NNS AKASO in Port-Harcourt. This was followed by more bases in WARRI, SAPELE, and ONNE.