NOWA president seeks stronger welfare partnerships during maiden Lagos visit
The National President, Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA), Hajiya Aisha Idi Abbas, yesterday called for stronger collaboration with naval authorities to enhance the welfare of officers’ families. She made the
The National President, Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA), Hajiya Aisha Idi Abbas, yesterday called for stronger collaboration with naval authorities to enhance the welfare of officers’ families.
She made the call during her maiden tour of duty to Lagos State where she visited the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, and the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu.
Mrs Abbas said the visit was part of efforts to strengthen existing relationships and deepen support structures for naval families, while acknowledging the sacrifices of naval personnel in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain.
She reaffirmed NOWA’s commitment to promoting unity, resilience and development within the naval community despite the association’s limited resources, and appealed for sustained institutional support to expand its welfare interventions across commands and formations.
In his remarks, Mustapha commended Mrs Abbas' leadership in advancing the welfare of naval families nationwide, noting that stability at home remained critical to operational effectiveness at sea.
The FOC said the Western Naval Command had sustained efforts to secure Nigeria’s maritime environment through intensified patrols and intelligence-driven operations aligned with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
According to him, the command’s operational strategy is anchored on a “Four D Doctrine” of detecting, deterring, disrupting and denying criminal activities within the maritime domain. He added that smaller vessels had been deployed across Lagos creeks and lagoon corridors, particularly around Badagry and adjoining waterways, to block smuggling routes and close security gaps.
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Mustapha also said the Command had strengthened surveillance through the Falcon Eye maritime monitoring system and other regional maritime awareness platforms to enhance intelligence gathering and response capabilities.
He stressed the importance of community engagement in tackling maritime crimes, noting that many offences originate from coastal communities. He added that the Command had carried out medical outreaches and empowerment programmes to strengthen civil-military relations and discourage criminal activities in host communities.
The FOC further acknowledged NOWA’s contributions to education, healthcare and skills acquisition for naval spouses, describing the association as a key partner in supporting operational efficiency.
Receiving the NOWA President at NNS BEECROFT, the Commodore Adams-Aliu praised for the historic visit, noting that she was the first in that capacity to pay official visit to the premiere base.
Highlights of the visit included the signing of a business agreement to strengthen welfare initiatives and institutional cooperation within the navy community; the laying of foundation stone for a new officers' mess, as well as the unveiling of the prototype of a leisure Boat Club which the command plans to establish.
