Chief of the Naval Staff | |
---|---|
since 23 June 2023 | |
Nigerian Navy | |
Abbreviation | CNS |
Member of | National Security Council |
Reports to | Chief of Defence Staff |
Appointer | The President |
Formation | 1956 |
First holder | F.W. Skutil J.E.A. Wey (indigenous) |
Website | Official website |
The chief of the naval staff (CNS) is the military head and highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Navy. [1] The chief of the naval staff is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the Nigerian Armed Forces unless the chief of defence staff is a naval officer. The position is often occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The chief of the naval staff reports to the chief of defence staff, who also reports to the defence minister. [2] The Statutory duty of the Officer is to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Nigerian Navy. [3]
The current chief of the naval staff is Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla who was appointed in June 2023 by President Bola Tinubu to succeed Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo.
The table below is a chronological list of officers holding the position of Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).
No. | Portrait | Chief of the Naval Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Francis William Skutil | Captain1956 | 1958 | 1–2 years | – | |
2 | Alexander R. Kennedy | Commodore1958 | March 1964 | 5–6 years | – | |
3 | Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey OFR FSS (1918–1991) Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters | Vice AdmiralMarch 1964 | January 1973 | 8 years, 10 months | – | |
4 | Nelson Bossman Soroh MFR FSS idc (1928–2006) | Rear AdmiralJanuary 1973 | 29 July 1975 | 2 years, 6 months | – | |
5 | Michael Ayinde Adelanwa GCON FSS rcds (born 1937) | Rear Admiral29 July 1975 | 15 April 1980 | 4 years, 261 days | – | |
6 | Akintunde Aduwo CFR FSS FBIM (born 1938) | Vice Admiral15 April 1980 | 31 December 1983 | 3 years, 260 days | – | |
7 | Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu FSS Psc, mni (1939–2011) later Chief of General Staff | Rear AdmiralJanuary 1984 | October 1986 | 2 years, 9 months | – | |
8 | Patrick Seubo Koshoni FSS Psc, mni (1943–2020) | Vice AdmiralOctober 1986 | January 1990 | 3 years, 3 months | – | |
9 | Murtala Hamman-Yero Nyako FSS Psc, mni (born 1942/1943) | Vice AdmiralJanuary 1990 | February 1992 | 2 years | – | |
10 | Dan Preston Omosola FSS , DSO, psc, rcds | Vice AdmiralFebruary 1992 | September 1993 | 1 year 7 months | – | |
11 | Suleiman Saidu FSS , LSS, MSS, DSS, rcds (born 1942) | Rear AdmiralSeptember 1993 | November 1993 | 2 months | – | |
12 | Allison Amaechina Madueke FSS DSS, MRNI, mni (born 1944) | Rear AdmiralNovember 1993 | August 1994 | 9 months | – | |
13 | Okhai Michael Akhigbe FSS DSS, psc, mni (1946–2013) later Chief of General Staff | Rear AdmiralAugust 1994 | 9 June 1998 | 3 years, 10 months | – | |
14 | Jubril Ayinla GCON FSS DSS, psc, Usnwc, fwc (born 1948) | Vice Admiral9 June 1998 | 29 May 1999 | 354 days | – | |
15 | Victor Ombu CFR mni (born 1947) | Vice Admiral29 May 1999 | 24 April 2001 | 1 year, 329 days | – | |
16 | Samuel Olajide Afolayan DSS, psc, fwc (born 1948) | Vice Admiral24 April 2001 | 20 July 2005 | 4 years, 87 days | – | |
17 | Ganiyu Tunde Adegboyega Adekeye DSS, psc, mirss, mni (born 1952) | Vice Admiral20 July 2005 | 20 August 2008 | 3 years, 31 days | – | |
18 | Ishaya Iko Ibrahim CFR DSS, psc, fwc (1952–2022) | Vice Admiral20 August 2008 | 8 September 2010 | 2 years, 19 days | – | |
19 | Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim DSS, psc, rcds, fwc, LLB, (Hons) MA (born 1955) later Chief of Defence Staff | Vice Admiral8 September 2010 | 4 October 2012 | 2 years, 26 days | – | |
20 | Dele Joseph Ezeoba GSS, fwc, Msc, MRIN, FCIS (born 1958) | Vice Admiral4 October 2012 | 20 January 2014 | 1 year, 108 days | – | |
21 | Usman Oyibe Jibrin GSS, AM, psc+, mni, LLB, PGCPA (born 1959) | Vice Admiral20 January 2014 | 21 July 2015 | 1 year, 182 days | – | |
22 | Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (born 1960) | Vice Admiral21 July 2015 | 29 January 2021 | 5 years, 192 days | – | |
23 | Awwal Zubairu Gambo (born 1965) | Vice Admiral29 January 2021 | 23 June 2023 | 2 years, 145 days | – | |
24 | Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla (born 1968) | Vice Admiral23 June 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 169 days | – |
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