By Abdul Lauya
The Nigerian Navy has joined the international community to mark World Lake Day 2025 with a call for collective action to protect inland water bodies.
The commemoration, held on Wednesday, August 27, at Pearl Hotel by Jabi Lake, Abuja, brought together senior Armed Forces officers, representatives of government agencies, environmental experts, paramilitary personnel, and other stakeholders to discuss challenges confronting lakes and freshwater ecosystems.
Organisers noted that the event was not only aimed at promoting environmental awareness but also at underscoring the Navy’s role in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime and freshwater environments in support of national security and sustainable development.
In his welcome address, the Chief Host, Commodore Oluseyi Ekundayo Oladipo, explained that the theme, “Securing Our Lakes, Sustaining Our Future: Stewardship for Clean and Safe Waters”, was deliberately chosen to highlight the nexus between water security and national survival.
He stressed that lakes and inland waters are critical to food security, water supply, and livelihoods, and urged stakeholders to work together in adopting practices that protect and sustain these resources.
Commodore Oladipo added that the celebration represents a practical step in deepening civil-military relations, reflecting the Navy’s broader commitment to nation-building beyond its core defence mandate.
The Special Guest of Honour, Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Admiral Olusanya Abiodun Bankole, in his keynote address, said stewardship of lakes cannot be left to government alone but requires shared responsibility across communities, institutions, and private actors.
He identified pollution control, research and monitoring, climate change mitigation, and grassroots engagement as priority areas for action, warning that neglect of lakes and water bodies would have dire consequences for food production, public health, and regional security.
Analysts note that the Navy’s intervention is timely, as increasing pollution, climate-induced drought, and population pressures threaten Nigeria’s inland waters, with ripple effects on agriculture, fishing communities, and urban water supply.
Eye Reporters report that the event reflects a growing recognition within the military establishment that environmental security is inseparable from national security, and that sustainable development requires the synergy of both civil and military institutions.
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