The Nigerian Navy has called for urgent action to protect the country’s eater bodies following reports that over 1,200 people died in the country’s lakes, inland waters between 2018 and 2023.
The Navy made the call during this year’s World Lake Day commemoration held at the Pearl Hotel, Abuja, where it stressed that unsafe practices, illegal activities, pollution, and environmental degradation were responsible for the alarming fatalities.
The event, themed “Securing Our Lakes, Sustaining Our Future: Stewardship for Clean and Safe Waters”, was organised by the Naval Base Abuja and drew military officers, policymakers, environmentalists, and community leaders to Jabi Lake, which served as a focal point for discussions on water security.
In his keynote address, Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole, said the loss of lives and livelihoods on Nigeria’s waters underscored the urgent need to treat lakes as both environmental assets and national security imperatives.
“Pollution, climate change, and poor management are draining the lifeblood of our lakes. When water bodies shrink or are poisoned, communities lose livelihoods, conflicts rise, and migration pressures increase. Securing our lakes is securing our future,” he said.
Bankole outlined four areas requiring immediate attention: pollution control, climate change mitigation, community engagement, and research, adding that ongoing cleanup campaigns and Navy patrols were part of the broader effort to safeguard inland waters.
The Admiral acknowledged government initiatives such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the ₦50 billion Usuma Dam water treatment project, but noted that “more needs to be done.”
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Also, Commander, Naval Base Abuja, Commodore Oluseyi Oladipo, said the Navy chose Jabi Lake because of its strategic location in the city and its dual role as a source of water and recreation.
“It supplies water and provides leisure, yet suffers from pollution and unsafe practices,” Oladipo said. “By spotlighting it, we aim to show how urban lakes can become models of stewardship when government, communities, and private stakeholders collaborate.”
He stressed that beyond celebration, World Lake Day should be an educational platform to motivate Nigerians, especially schools and communities, to adopt sustainable practices such as reducing pollution, conserving water, and protecting biodiversity.
World Lake Day, observed annually, highlights the global importance of lakes as sources of water, food, energy, fishing, and recreation. For Nigeria, with over 100 lakes, including Lake Chad, Kainji, Oguta, and Jabi, the observance carries added weight given the rising threats of pollution, overuse, and climate change.
By hosting the 2025 commemoration, the Navy reinforced its evolving role beyond sea patrols to include environmental protection, civil engagement, and climate resilience.
