Western Naval Command Conducts Fitness March to Ensure Combat Readiness of Personnel
The Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy on Saturday, 27 June 2026, conducted its Second Quarter Route March in Lagos as part of sustained efforts to enhance the physical fitness, combat readiness and operational efficiency of its personnel.
The route march, which commenced in the early hours of the day, witnessed the participation of over 1,500 personnel drawn from the Headquarters Western Naval Command, ships, establishments and other affiliated units under the Command. The exercise traversed designated routes within Lagos before culminating at the Nigerian Navy Ultra-Modern Sports Complex in Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos, where participants completed the march with stretching and cool-down exercises.
Addressing personnel at the end of the exercise, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Abubakar Mustapha, commended participants for their discipline, resilience, endurance and impressive turnout.
He noted that the quarterly route march remains an integral component of the Nigerian Navy’s physical fitness programme, designed to ensure personnel remain physically fit, mentally alert and operationally prepared to effectively carry out the Service’s constitutional responsibilities.
The Flag Officer Commanding further emphasised that beyond improving physical fitness, the exercise serves as a platform for fostering camaraderie, teamwork, unity of purpose and esprit de corps among officers, ratings and civilian staff.
According to him, these values are indispensable in building a cohesive and mission-oriented force capable of executing assigned tasks with professionalism and efficiency.
Rear Admiral Mustapha urged personnel to sustain the spirit of professionalism, discipline and mutual support demonstrated during the exercise by making physical fitness a continuous personal commitment rather than a periodic activity. He reminded them that the demanding nature of naval operations requires physically fit personnel who can withstand the rigours of both sea and land operations while maintaining the highest standards of military professionalism.
The exercise concluded with stretching and recovery drills at the Nigerian Navy Ultra-Modern Sports Complex, marking the successful completion of the Command’s Second Quarter Route March and further reinforcing the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to physical fitness, operational readiness, teamwork and service excellence.
