By Precious Igbonwelundu

After a 24-week intensive training, the Nigerian Navy has certified 19 of its operatives and those of Ghanaian Navy fit for the elite squad, the Special Boats Services (SBS).

The 19 were among 44 participants of the Basic Operating Capability (BOC) Course 16, which featured rigorous and dangerous tasks in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, hostage rescue, riverine/backwaters, anti-piracy, sabotage/enemy infiltration operations.

The operatives comprising commissioned and non-commissioned officers learnt survival techniques in underwater, above water and ground operations to enable them take on, overpower and neutralise enemy forces.

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Twenty-five other participants who did not succeed in all the tasks were withdrawn and returned to their respective naval units/formations in Nigeria and Ghana to continue with routine duties.

Ghanaian naval operatives benefitted from a similar training in 2017 which held at the Joint Maritime Security Training Centre (JMSTC), Navy Town, Ojo.

Among the 19 graduates were nine Ghanaians and 10 Nigerians.

At the graduation ceremony, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) Rear Admiral Kamarudeen Lawal, said the SBS training aimed at building capacity to deal decisively with asymmetric threats and confront emergency situations to ensure security within the maritime domain and ashore.