The Nigerian Navy says former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (retd.) will hand over to his successor, Rear Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla at a public ceremony on Friday, June 23.

“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 23 June 2023 in line with age-long naval tradition,” said Naval Director of Information, AO Ayo-Vaughan in a statement.

The naval spokesman debunked reports making the round that Gambo allegedly refused to hand over to Ogalla after President Bola Tinubu retired all service chiefs on Monday and appointed new ones including Ogalla.

He advised members of the public to discountenance “the malicious publication and erroneous information as a figment of the reporter’s imagination.”

“Instructively, it is pertinent to mention that sister Services are also due to hand over as they have set aside specific dates for their handing and taking over ceremonies. Members of the public are therefore advised to discountenance the malicious publication and erroneous information as a figment of imagination,” Ayo-Vaughan stated.