Nigerian Navy Establishes Special Operations Command in Benue to Tackle Middle Belt Insecurity
The Nigerian Navy has announced the establishment of a Special Operations Command in Makurdi, Benue State, aimed at tackling growing insecurity in the Middle Belt region.
This, is to strengthen internal security and expand its operational reach beyond Nigeria’s coastal regions.
The announcement was made by Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abdullahi Dewu, Chief of Policy and Plans, during an international press conference in Abuja to kick off the Navy’s 69th Anniversary celebrations.
According to Rear Admiral Dewu, the new command will be located on the North Bank of the River Benue and is designed to complement the efforts of other military services and security agencies in combating banditry, communal violence, and other emerging threats in the region.
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“This is in line with the Nigerian Navy’s Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy, which extends our operational scope from the backwaters through the Exclusive Economic Zone and into land-based operations where necessary,” Dewu said.
The Special Operations Command is expected to serve as a strategic hub for rapid deployment and coordination of naval special forces in support of joint security operations across the Middle Belt and parts of North Central Nigeria.
The initiative comes amid rising insecurity in parts of Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Taraba states, where attacks on communities and infrastructure have persisted.
Rear Admiral Dewu emphasized that the Nigerian Navy remains committed to playing a proactive role in internal security, beyond its traditional maritime domain.
“We are positioning ourselves as a flexible force, capable of responding to both seaborne and land-based threats in the interest of national stability,” he added.
By PRNigeria
