Nigerian Navy said it has scheduled the handing and taking over ceremony between the outgoing chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo and the incoming chief of naval staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla for Friday 23 June 2023.
The Navy stated this while reacting to an online report alleging the refusal of the outgoing chief of the naval staff (CNS), Vice Admiral AZ Gambo to hand over to the incoming chief of the naval staff, Rear Admiral EI Ogalla.
The rebuttal signed by the director information Naval Headquarters, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan described the report as ” totally lies, misleading and capable of spreading falsehood to unsuspecting members of the public”.
He stated that handing and taking over ceremony in the Nigerian Navy from inception is procedural.
“Upon the announcement of the change of the ‘Watch on deck’, the outgoing CNS is expected to give detailed briefs to the incoming CNS, tour key naval facilities and perform the ceremonial lowering of the ensign.
“Accordingly, the programme of events leading to the formal handing and taking over ceremony has kicked off to culminate at a public ceremony on Friday 23 June 2023 in line with age-long naval tradition” he said.
The statement noted further that “sister Services are also due to hand over as they have set aside specific dates for their handing and taking over ceremonies”.
He therefore urged members of the public to discountenance what he called ” malicious publication and erroneous information as a figment of the reporter’s imagination”.
