Manny Ita –
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed profound grief over the transition of the Chief of Naval Operations, Rear Admiral Musa Bello Katagum, who passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2026, following a protracted illness. In a formal condolence message issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President extended his deepest sympathies to the Katagum family, the officers and men of the Nigerian Navy, and the leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The late senior officer, a highly regarded strategist and intelligence expert, reportedly died at a hospital in Egypt where he had been receiving medical treatment. He has since been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.
Describing the loss as a significant setback for the nation’s security apparatus, President Tinubu characterized Rear Admiral Katagum’s death as “a blow to the military and the country,” citing his vast experience and the “invaluable contributions” he made to the Nigerian Navy throughout a career that spanned over three decades. The President further commended the deceased officer for his “valour, exceptional leadership, and dedication to duty,” noting that his commitment to mentoring a generation of younger officers would leave an enduring legacy within the service. “He was a symbol of courage and discipline whose strategic insights were instrumental in strengthening Nigeria’s maritime security architecture,” the President’s statement read.
Rear Admiral Katagum was appointed as the Chief of Naval Operations in November 2025 by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, a role central to the Navy’s operational effectiveness in combating piracy and crude oil theft. Prior to this, he served in several high-profile capacities, including Director of Presidential Communication, Command and Control Centre (PC4), Chief of Naval Intelligence, and Deputy Defence Adviser in Paris, France. The Nigerian Navy, through the Acting Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, also paid tribute to the late Admiral, describing him as a “dedicated and highly respected officer whose career was marked by professionalism and unwavering loyalty to the ideals of the service.”
