The United States navy has officially transferred the former Coast
Guard Cutter Gallatin into the hands of the Nigerian Navy. The Gallatin
was offered through the US Foreign Assistance Act, decommissioned from
US Coast Guard service March 31, 2014.
During the ceremony, US Coast Guard Chief Acquisition Officer, Rear
Adm. Bruce Baffer and Nigerian Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu
Obanikoro, signed transfer documents in front of U.S and Nigerian
spectators, marking the official handoff of the ship to Nigeria.
Baffer said the transfer was bittersweet but said he believes the ship,
now renamed NNS Okpabana, will provide valuable service to Nigeria. The
Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro who received
the vessel on behalf of Nigeria, thanked the United States navy for
their consistent support.
Obanikoro said the ship will strengthen Nigeria’s ability to combat
terrorism and illegal activity. "I am glad to know that American support
has greatly enhanced the capacity of the Nigerian navy," he said. The
ceremony concluded as members of the Nigerian navy filed onto the vessel
taking command of the ship.
No comments:
Post a Comment