Security experts have faulted the decision of the Nigeria Navy to establish a Naval Base in Kano State, where they described as a dry land.
A security expert, Capt Aliyu Umar Babagida (retd.), stated clearly that said the idea of building a naval base in Kano may be out of place.
He said, “Giving our pressing and immediate challenges, a Naval base in Kano may sound out of place. It could also be an operational necessity.
“What is important remains for the citizens to keep abreast of these policy trends, and endorsements, not less so those who drive their manifestation. That way, if they turn awry or become beneficial, the citizens know exactly who to blame or praise.”
Asked if the idea might become moribund, he said, “most likely, if our penchant as a nation for that style of Governance is anything to go by.”
Another security expert, Jackson Lekan-Ojo, said the Nigerian Navy has no business on ‘dry land’ as the idea of building a Naval base in Kano sounds out of place.
According to him, the Nigerian Navy should be concerned about the inter-territorial integrity of the country through the waterways which is its primary function.
He said, “To me, the Navy has no business on dry land. The Navy is for inter-territorial integrity of the country through water. That is it.
“There is no sea in Kano. If you say there is a dam, they are not there for a stagnant dam. They have taken the security joke of this country too far. The main purpose is whatever is happening in the southern part of this country, let it happen in the northern part. That is the main purpose.
“What will be their main aim? Are they for fishing or swimming competitions? No. They don’t have business in Kano. If they talk of Kogi, we could say there is River Niger. If they talk of Benue, we could say River Benue. If they are talking of Niger State, we can say Kainji Dam, because that is a flowing dam. But, in Kano? I knew the Chief of Naval Staff was going to do this when he said he wanted to host the ceremony of Navy Chiefs in Kano. No. It is not possible.
“It happened before, when they built a ship house in Abuja. Obasanjo changed it immediately, asking what a ship house was doing in Abuja. That is what he changed to the Ministry of Defence today.”
He advised the Federal Government to channel the resources to something more productive as the new base may become moribund with the coming of a new government into power and the money spent on the project wasted.
“To me, it is counter-productive and another way of wasting money. I am seeing a situation where another administration coming in may stop it and it would turn moribund and the billions that must have been sunk there now would have been wasted,” he added. – Punch.
