The Naval Headquarters has dismissed as false, the allegation that the outgoing Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Awwal Gambo, had refused to handover to the newly appointed chief, Rear Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla.
The Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, in a statement on Wednesday, said that handing over in military was procedural.
Ayo-Vaughan said the publications by some online was malicious lies, misleading and capable of spreading falsehood to unsuspecting members of the public.
“It is therefore necessary to put the record straight.
“Suffice to state 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 brief to the incoming CNS, tour key naval facilities and perform the ceremonial lowering of 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 June 23 in line with age-long naval tradition,” he said.
The Navy spokesman also said that sister services were also due to hand over as they had set aside specific dates for their handing and taking over ceremonies.
He urged members of the public to discountenance the “malicious publication and erroneous information” which was the figment of the reporter’s imagination.