The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal), on Thursday, 1 January 2026, paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, at the Government House in Maiduguri.
During the visit, Vice Admiral Abbas expressed appreciation to the Governor for the warm reception, explained that his presence in the state was to assess the operational readiness of Nigerian Navy personnel deployed within the Operation HADIN KAI Theatre of Operations and at the Naval Base Lake Chad (NBLC), Baga. He also commended the Borno State Government for its consistent and invaluable support to the Armed Forces in the ongoing fight against terrorism.
The CNS particularly thanked Governor Zulum for providing swamp buggies to the Naval Base Lake Chad, noting that the equipment had enhanced efforts to clear waterways and revive economic activities in the area.
In his response, Governor Zulum congratulated Vice Admiral Abbas on his appointment as Chief of the Naval Staff and prayed for divine wisdom and strength to enable him address prevailing security challenges. He thanked the CNS for the courtesy call and commended him for prioritising an operational visit to Baga, noting that such a visit would provide first-hand insight into the terrain, threats, operational gaps and challenges in the area.
The Governor also praised the officers and men of the Naval Base Lake Chad for their commitment, specifically commending the Commander, Commodore Peter Yilme, for what he described as an excellent job in securing the area.
