Brief History of Central Naval Command
The Central Naval Command (CNC) was established by the Navy Board vide NNO 05/12 dated 7 February 2012 with its headquarters initially at Brass, Bayelsa State. However, being a new Command without offices or structures on ground in Brass, the Command commenced operations at a temporary site in Yenagoa co-located with the HQ JTF Op PULO SHIELD on 19 March 2012. Subsequently, it was approved that the HQ CNC be located in Yenagoa vide NNO 04/13 dated 5 March 2013, hence its present location at Camp Porbeni, Yenagoa.
The CNC Area of Responsibility (AOR) covers from the area before Benin River entrance at Longitude 005°00'E to Santa Barbara River entrance at Longitude 006°30'E, spanning a coastal distance of about 156 nautical miles and maritime space of 31,200 square nautical miles. The landward AOR covers 11 states including Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa and Niger States. This area is a hub of commercial activities and host to several oil rigs and platforms, which sometimes attracts criminal elements whose illegal activities negatively impact the nation's economy.
Command Leadership
R Adm Suleiman Dantsoho Ibrahim
DSS fdc psc MSc MNIM ISPON FIIPS MRIN JP
Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command
Rear Admiral Suleiman Dantsoho Ibrahim, was born on 9th September 1973 in Ondo State and hails from FCT, Abuja.
The Senior Officer attended Command Children School Zaria, Nigerian Military School Zaria, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on 17 August 1990 as a member of 42 Regular Course. He graduated with BSc Honours in Chemistry from NDA in 1994. Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from Nasarawa State University Keffi in 2011 and he also holds a Diploma in Intelligence. MSc in Security and Strategic Studies from NDA, Kaduna in 2017. MSc in Industrial Engineering; Specialty -Emergency Response, Hazard Prevention and Disaster Management (IRGIB African University Benin Republic), 2020.
The Senior Officer has served in different appointments, some of which are: WKO NNS BRASS 06/01/1997. WKD NNS EKUN 20/08/1998. Flag Lieutenant to Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command 03/11/1999. SO III TECH NHQ (DNI) 20/06/2002. NAS Ojo – DW CO 07/07/2003. SOII ADMIN DNI NHQ 01/03/2004. Naval Assistant to Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command 08/07/2005. SCITO NNS OLOGBO 01/01/2006. BIO NNS WEY 05/02/2007. BIO NNS BEECROFT 21/07/2008. BIO NNS PATHFINDER 29/09/2008. SO1 Enlistment NHQ (NAVSEC) 17/03/2010. Chief Instructor Nigeria Navy Basic Training School ONNE 19/07/2011. SO1 SEA TRAINING HQ NAVTRAC 05/12/2011. Executive Officer Nigeria Navy Ship EKUN 27/02/2012. Command Intelligence Officer, Headquarters Eastern Naval Command, Calabar 12/03/2013. Assistant Director Security at Defence Intelligence Agency Abuja 03/04/2014. Assistant Director Training, TOPS Branch at NHQ Abuja 05/09/2017. Executive Officer Nigeria Navy Ship JUBILEE 20/08/2018. Command Communications and Information Technology Officer Headquarters Naval Training Command 27/05/2020.
Area of Responsibility
Coastal Coverage: From before Benin River entrance (Longitude 005°00'E) to Santa Barbara River entrance (Longitude 006°30'E) - approximately 156 nautical miles of coastline.
Maritime Space: 31,200 square nautical miles extending to the Exclusive Economic Zone.
States Covered: Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa, and Niger States.
Core Functions
Traditional Naval Duties
Seaward defence and maritime security operations
Asset Protection
Protection of oil rigs, platforms and installations
Joint Operations
Integration of ground, maritime, air and special forces
Interdiction
Detect and intercept hostile actions
Aid to Civil Authority
Humanitarian relief and Search & Rescue operations
Training
Exercises and on-the-job training of personnel
Units Under Command
Central Fleet
11 ships including NNS NWAMBA, NNS OBULA, NNS ZARIA, NNS IBENO, NNS SAGBAMA, NNS DORINA
NNS DELTA
Type A Operations Base, Warri (established 1986)
NNS LUGARD
Type A Base, Lokoja - protecting Rivers Niger and Benue
NNS SOROH
Type A Base, Bayelsa (established 2012)
Naval Base Oguta
Imo State - covering Oguta Lake and adjoining waters
Naval Air Station Effurun
Providing air support within CNC maritime domain
NN Hospital Warri
50-bed facility providing medical care
NN Secondary School Okura
Kogi State - co-educational boarding school
Forward Operating Bases
Escravos, Formoso, plus Naval Outposts at Idah, Koluama II, Onitsha, Shagunu
Fleet Assets
Capital Ships
- NNS NWAMBA
- NNS OBULA
- NNS ZARIA
- NNS IBENO
- NNS SAGBAMA
- NNS DORINA
Fast Patrol Boats
- NNS OKPOKU
- NNS BOMADI
- NNS BADAGRY
- NNS IKOT ABASI
Operational Activities
The CNC continuously carries out operational activities in line with its statutory mandate including the CNS Strategic Directives, with focus on anti-illegal bunkering, anti-sea robbery, anti-crude oil theft, destruction of illegal refineries, and curbing pipeline vandalism.
Surveillance
2 Maritime Domain Awareness Centres: RMAC and Falcon Eye CRCC with sensor sites at Brass, Forcados and Escravos providing 200nm coverage.
Naval Security Stations
6 NSSs strategically located at choke points including Akassa, Brass, Sangana, Middleton, Forcados and Escravos river entrances.
Anti-Illegal Refining
Use of swamp buggy operations to destroy illegal refining equipment and curb environmental degradation.
Joint Operations
Participation in Op DELTA SAFE, Op DELTA HAWK, Op TOTAL FREEDOM, Op DOO AKPO, and Op KPOCHAKPU.